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Vote Nearing, Netanyahu Takes Up Familiar Cause: Iran’s Nuclear Quest Vote Nearing, Netanyahu Takes Up Familiar Cause: Iran’s Nuclear Quest
(about 1 hour later)
JERUSALEM — Shortly before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s highly anticipated and contentious speech to Congress, the Hebrew news site Ynet posted an old column written by him and published in its mother publication, the popular newspaper Yediot Aharonot, warning about the Iranian nuclear threat.JERUSALEM — Shortly before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s highly anticipated and contentious speech to Congress, the Hebrew news site Ynet posted an old column written by him and published in its mother publication, the popular newspaper Yediot Aharonot, warning about the Iranian nuclear threat.
It was written in 1993, and Mr. Netanyahu wrote then that the current assessment was that Iran could have its first nuclear bomb by 1999.It was written in 1993, and Mr. Netanyahu wrote then that the current assessment was that Iran could have its first nuclear bomb by 1999.
On Wednesday, the day after his speech in Congress, in which Mr. Netanyahu challenged the efforts of President Obama and other world powers to reach what he called a “bad deal” to limit Iran’s nuclear activities, Israelis woke up to a familiar quandary.On Wednesday, the day after his speech in Congress, in which Mr. Netanyahu challenged the efforts of President Obama and other world powers to reach what he called a “bad deal” to limit Iran’s nuclear activities, Israelis woke up to a familiar quandary.
With just under two weeks to go before the March 17 elections, in which Mr. Netanyahu is running for a historic fourth term, having first been elected in 1996, he is again staking his political future on the struggle against Iran’s nuclear quest.With just under two weeks to go before the March 17 elections, in which Mr. Netanyahu is running for a historic fourth term, having first been elected in 1996, he is again staking his political future on the struggle against Iran’s nuclear quest.
For his supporters, he is playing his strong card as “Mr. Security,” presenting himself as the candidate who can best stand up to the threats facing Israel and to international pressure. But his opponents say he is continuing a campaign that is more than two decades old, based on scaring the Israeli voters while offering few solutions that might give them any hope. For his supporters, he is playing his strong card as “Mr. Security,” presenting himself as the candidate who can best stand up to the threats facing Israel and to international pressure. But his opponents say he is continuing a campaign that is more than two decades old, based on scaring Israeli voters while offering few solutions that might give them hope.
“I return to Israel knowing that many around the world heard what Israel has to say about the impending deal with Iran,” Mr. Netanyahu said as he landed back on home turf on Wednesday.“I return to Israel knowing that many around the world heard what Israel has to say about the impending deal with Iran,” Mr. Netanyahu said as he landed back on home turf on Wednesday.
“In my speech before the Congress, I presented a practical alternative, which would impose tougher restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program, extending Iran’s breakout time by years,” he said.“In my speech before the Congress, I presented a practical alternative, which would impose tougher restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program, extending Iran’s breakout time by years,” he said.
“I heard encouraging responses from both Democrats and Republicans,” he added. “They understood that the current proposal would lead to a bad deal and that the alternative is a better deal.”“I heard encouraging responses from both Democrats and Republicans,” he added. “They understood that the current proposal would lead to a bad deal and that the alternative is a better deal.”
Israeli analysts said that the speech might give Mr. Netanyahu at least some short-term gain among the electorate, but that the effect might not last through the next two weeks, a long time in any Israeli election campaign.Israeli analysts said that the speech might give Mr. Netanyahu at least some short-term gain among the electorate, but that the effect might not last through the next two weeks, a long time in any Israeli election campaign.
“In the first instance, Israelis were probably impressed by the reception he received and the quality of the speech,” said Yehuda Ben Meir, an expert on Israeli national security and public opinion at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University. “But the Israeli voters are also acutely aware of the tensions the speech has caused with President Obama and of the negative reactions, particularly among the Democrats.”“In the first instance, Israelis were probably impressed by the reception he received and the quality of the speech,” said Yehuda Ben Meir, an expert on Israeli national security and public opinion at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University. “But the Israeli voters are also acutely aware of the tensions the speech has caused with President Obama and of the negative reactions, particularly among the Democrats.”
Noting the wide coverage in the Israeli news media of remarks made by Representative Nancy Pelosi, the House minority leader, who issued a statement calling Mr. Netanyahu’s speech an “insult to the intelligence” of the American people, Mr. Ben Meir said there were enough studies to show that the Israeli public was keenly aware of how crucial American support is for Israel.Noting the wide coverage in the Israeli news media of remarks made by Representative Nancy Pelosi, the House minority leader, who issued a statement calling Mr. Netanyahu’s speech an “insult to the intelligence” of the American people, Mr. Ben Meir said there were enough studies to show that the Israeli public was keenly aware of how crucial American support is for Israel.
The opposition in Israel says there is no difference between it and the government when it comes to the strategic threat that would be posed by a nuclear Iran. But Isaac Herzog of the center-left Zionist Union, who is challenging Mr. Netanyahu for the post of prime minister, says that the way to counter it is not to antagonize the American administration but to build strong ties with it to reach joint understandings about what would constitute an acceptable deal with Iran.The opposition in Israel says there is no difference between it and the government when it comes to the strategic threat that would be posed by a nuclear Iran. But Isaac Herzog of the center-left Zionist Union, who is challenging Mr. Netanyahu for the post of prime minister, says that the way to counter it is not to antagonize the American administration but to build strong ties with it to reach joint understandings about what would constitute an acceptable deal with Iran.
“The question is not if the developing agreement is bad,” Mr. Herzog said in a speech delivered shortly after Mr. Netanyahu’s address to Congress. “The question is how to prevent a bad agreement.”“The question is not if the developing agreement is bad,” Mr. Herzog said in a speech delivered shortly after Mr. Netanyahu’s address to Congress. “The question is how to prevent a bad agreement.”
Though it was Mr. Netanyahu who called the early election, apparently confident of winning it, his conservative Likud Party had been slipping slightly in recent polls against the Zionist Union led by Mr. Herzog and Tzipi Livni.Though it was Mr. Netanyahu who called the early election, apparently confident of winning it, his conservative Likud Party had been slipping slightly in recent polls against the Zionist Union led by Mr. Herzog and Tzipi Livni.
Analysts say that Mr. Netanyahu’s speech in Congress was directed to Israeli voters at least as much as to American ears, with Mr. Netanyahu hoping to impress some disenchanted voters who have drifted away from Likud to support parties that have focused more on the daily issues concerning Israelis, like the high cost of living and the lack of affordable housing.Analysts say that Mr. Netanyahu’s speech in Congress was directed to Israeli voters at least as much as to American ears, with Mr. Netanyahu hoping to impress some disenchanted voters who have drifted away from Likud to support parties that have focused more on the daily issues concerning Israelis, like the high cost of living and the lack of affordable housing.
Ms. Livni attacked Mr. Netanyahu on Israel Radio on Wednesday, describing his speech as “damaging.”Ms. Livni attacked Mr. Netanyahu on Israel Radio on Wednesday, describing his speech as “damaging.”
“Netanyahu has fired his last shot in the struggle against Iran, and the threat is still there,” she said.“Netanyahu has fired his last shot in the struggle against Iran, and the threat is still there,” she said.
“So Netanyahu gave a speech,” she added. “Did we get up this morning to a state of Israel that is not under threat? Or did we get up to a more isolated country?”“So Netanyahu gave a speech,” she added. “Did we get up this morning to a state of Israel that is not under threat? Or did we get up to a more isolated country?”
Responding to Ms. Livni, Moshe Yaalon, Israel’s defense minister, said: “We stand now not just before the verdict of the electorate, but also before the judgment of history. I have no doubt that from this point of view the prime minister’s speech is on the right side of history — and history will judge this, even if the electorate doesn’t do so at once.”Responding to Ms. Livni, Moshe Yaalon, Israel’s defense minister, said: “We stand now not just before the verdict of the electorate, but also before the judgment of history. I have no doubt that from this point of view the prime minister’s speech is on the right side of history — and history will judge this, even if the electorate doesn’t do so at once.”
Adding that Israel was now at “a critical juncture” on the Iran issue, he dismissed the notion that Israel was isolated, telling Israel Radio: “What isolation? Look at the applause in Congress!”Adding that Israel was now at “a critical juncture” on the Iran issue, he dismissed the notion that Israel was isolated, telling Israel Radio: “What isolation? Look at the applause in Congress!”
He noted that Israel’s relations with India, a country he visited two weeks ago, were growing closer. Mr. Yaalon noted that Israel’s relations with India, a country he visited two weeks ago, were growing closer.
But Shlomo Avineri, a veteran Israeli professor of political science, said he did not think that Mr. Netanyahu’s performance in Congress would have a significant impact on either the negotiations underway between the world powers and Iran or on the Israeli election campaign. But, he said, it might give Mr. Netanyahu a minor surge in the polls in the coming days. But Shlomo Avineri, a veteran Israeli professor of political science, said he did not think that Mr. Netanyahu’s performance in Congress would have a significant impact on either the negotiations underway between the world powers and Iran or on the Israeli election campaign. But, he said, it might give Mr. Netanyahu a minor boost in the polls in the coming days.
“There is a buzz, no doubt,” he said of the speech. “But I do not think it will make Israelis who already hold views change their minds.”“There is a buzz, no doubt,” he said of the speech. “But I do not think it will make Israelis who already hold views change their minds.”
Ben Caspit, a political columnist for the newspaper Maariv, noted on Wednesday that in his speech, Mr. Netanyahu did not mention his usual demands for a complete end to uranium enrichment by Iran and the dismantlement of all its centrifuges as a condition for any deal.Ben Caspit, a political columnist for the newspaper Maariv, noted on Wednesday that in his speech, Mr. Netanyahu did not mention his usual demands for a complete end to uranium enrichment by Iran and the dismantlement of all its centrifuges as a condition for any deal.
“Israel, according to Netanyahu’s speech, is backing down from a large number of its ultimate demands regarding a future agreement with Iran,” Mr. Caspit wrote.“Israel, according to Netanyahu’s speech, is backing down from a large number of its ultimate demands regarding a future agreement with Iran,” Mr. Caspit wrote.
“What did we ask for yesterday, after all?” he added. “For Iran to stop abusing its neighbors, stop threatening Israel, to start behaving like a normal country if it wants to have relationships like a normal country. For this you break all the rules in terms of the American administration?”“What did we ask for yesterday, after all?” he added. “For Iran to stop abusing its neighbors, stop threatening Israel, to start behaving like a normal country if it wants to have relationships like a normal country. For this you break all the rules in terms of the American administration?”
In a column in Yediot Aharonot, Yoaz Hendel, a former director of communications in Mr. Netanyahu’s office, wrote: “After the applause, the respect and the weighty arguments, we are still left with the same problem: Iran is a nuclear threshold state even at present. The citizens of Israel need to recognize that.”In a column in Yediot Aharonot, Yoaz Hendel, a former director of communications in Mr. Netanyahu’s office, wrote: “After the applause, the respect and the weighty arguments, we are still left with the same problem: Iran is a nuclear threshold state even at present. The citizens of Israel need to recognize that.”
Referring to Mr. Netanyahu, he added that the coming elections “are between those who want him to go despite the speeches, and others who want him to stay despite the problems.”Referring to Mr. Netanyahu, he added that the coming elections “are between those who want him to go despite the speeches, and others who want him to stay despite the problems.”