“The goal is destruction”: Israel heads between the US, Iran and Lebanon | US-Israeli war against Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refrained from openly expressing his opposition to the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States. But if we consider the positions of Israelis across the political spectrum and the military actions in Lebanon, the picture is clear: Israel is angry and Israel is worried.

Netanyahu has always been cautious with U.S. President Donald Trump, knowing that his occasional criticism of Israeli policies has been accompanied by allowing Israel to pursue many of its military and political goals even as the rest of the world isolates the country. The war with Iran is a good example: after years of American refusal, Netanyahu finally convinced an American president to jointly attack Iran.

Recommended 4-item story listend of list

But that war went badly for the United States, and Trump’s decision to accept a deal — without any apparent input from Israel — upended many of the assumptions that underpin what many in Israel view as their “special relationship” with the United States, while also shining a spotlight on the power dynamic between the two allies.

Under the terms of the US-Iran deal, in addition to creating a $300 billion reconstruction plan for Iran, the United States commits that it and “its allies” will undertake “an immediate and permanent end to military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.”

Israel immediately responded to the agreement by shelling Lebanon, killing at least 47 people on Friday, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. Four Israeli soldiers were also killed overnight by the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, prompting far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to declare that “all of Lebanon must burn.”

And yet, on Friday evening, a ceasefire was reportedly reached between Israel and Hezbollah – likely under US pressure, with the US-Iran deal at risk of collapse.

Rock and a hard place

It is unclear how far Netanyahu can go in his defiance of the United States, whose diplomatic and financial support is critical to Israel, and how far he can go to appease Israel’s political and public establishment, widely understood to reject the deal.

According to a television poll released Thursday, only a small minority of Israelis believe their country has won the war against Iran – an opponent they have been told for generations was determined to destroy.

“The deep disappointment with the US-Iran memorandum of understanding is very real and deep,” said Israeli pollster and political analyst Dahlia Scheindlin. “The Israelis are fully aware that none of their goals, as promised too confidently by Netanyahu, have been achieved. They believe the war ended prematurely and that something went wrong with the grand plan. They don’t like to blame Trump but see him as making decisions based on American interests, and many accuse Netanyahu of miscalculating by creating dependence on Trump.”

US Vice President JD Vance entered the fray on Thursday, directly addressing Israel and critics of the deal within his cabinet.

“Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the world who currently sympathizes with the nation of Israel,” Vance said, referring to the international condemnation that followed Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and multiple attacks on its neighbors.

Vance continued, appearing to turn to Ben-Gvir and his far-right colleague, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. “If I were a member of the Israeli government, perhaps I would not attack the only powerful ally I have left in the entire world,” Vance said.

US Vice President JD Vance responded to criticism of the memorandum of understanding with Israel. The Trump administration faces criticism over the deal, which opponents say favors Tehran. [Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA]

“I can’t think of a time when an American vice president or president has been so openly critical of Israel and used such language,” said Chatham House’s Yossi Mekelberg, referring to Trump’s direct criticism of Netanyahu and Israeli attacks on Lebanon at Wednesday’s G7 meeting.

“Netanyahu understands that he cannot afford a real break with the United States, but he needs at least the appearance of such a break for his position to be sustainable,” he added. “It is difficult to see a way out for Netanyahu before the elections, other than buying time and waiting until after the vote. Even if he stops his action against Hezbollah tomorrow, could he count on the fact that he will not attack northern Israel when they know how vulnerable it is?”

To that end, it is unclear to what extent Smotrich and Ben-Gvir were breaking with the prime minister in their criticism of the U.S.-Iran deal and to what extent they were reflecting his policies, said Ofer Cassif, an Israeli parliamentarian from the left-wing Hadash party.

Netanyahu has politically exploited the threat posed by Iran since the 1990s, when he first claimed that the country was on the verge of building a nuclear weapon, and Hezbollah, whose rocket attacks on northern Israel following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, did much to distract attention from its own failures before that incursion.

“All Netanyahu and his minions, this so-called government, are interested in is thwarting, obstructing and destroying the deal while making it look like they weren’t, selling a story of security and defense. That’s the real problem here,” Cassif said. “Destruction is the goal. »

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos