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Benjamin Netanyahu Says Final Nuclear Deal Must Include Iran’s Recognition of Israel Netanyahu Says Final Nuclear Deal Must Include Iran’s Recognition of Israel
(about 4 hours later)
JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel introduced a new demand Friday for the final phase of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, saying the completed deal must include an “unambiguous Iranian recognition of Israel’s right to exist.”JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel introduced a new demand Friday for the final phase of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, saying the completed deal must include an “unambiguous Iranian recognition of Israel’s right to exist.”
Mr. Netanyahu, the world’s most vocal critic of the emerging agreement between six world powers and Iran, convened a special session of his security cabinet on Friday, hours before the onset of the Passover holiday, to review the framework agreement announced the night before.Mr. Netanyahu, the world’s most vocal critic of the emerging agreement between six world powers and Iran, convened a special session of his security cabinet on Friday, hours before the onset of the Passover holiday, to review the framework agreement announced the night before.
He emerged saying the group “is united in strongly opposing the proposed deal,” contending it “would pose a grave danger to the region and to the world, and would threaten the very survival of the state of Israel.”He emerged saying the group “is united in strongly opposing the proposed deal,” contending it “would pose a grave danger to the region and to the world, and would threaten the very survival of the state of Israel.”
As the negotiations continued furiously in Lausanne, Switzerland, over the past week, Mr. Netanyahu made daily statements railing against them. He emphasized Iran’s involvement in regional conflicts, most recently Yemen, and denounced an Iranian general’s declaration in recent days that “the destruction of Israel is nonnegotiable.”As the negotiations continued furiously in Lausanne, Switzerland, over the past week, Mr. Netanyahu made daily statements railing against them. He emphasized Iran’s involvement in regional conflicts, most recently Yemen, and denounced an Iranian general’s declaration in recent days that “the destruction of Israel is nonnegotiable.”
“Well, I want to make clear to all: the survival of Israel is nonnegotiable,” the prime minister declared on Friday. “Israel will not accept an agreement which allows a country that vows to annihilate us to develop nuclear weapons, period.”“Well, I want to make clear to all: the survival of Israel is nonnegotiable,” the prime minister declared on Friday. “Israel will not accept an agreement which allows a country that vows to annihilate us to develop nuclear weapons, period.”
Israel is not a party to the talks, which aim to reach a final accord by June 30, and at times he has complained of being left out of the loop. But President Obama, in a telephone call to Mr. Netanyahu shortly after the framework was announced, promised to renew security consultations and deepen coordination.Israel is not a party to the talks, which aim to reach a final accord by June 30, and at times he has complained of being left out of the loop. But President Obama, in a telephone call to Mr. Netanyahu shortly after the framework was announced, promised to renew security consultations and deepen coordination.
One question going forward is how fiercely Mr. Netanyahu will fight the deal in Congress, where he spoke against it last month at the invitation of the House speaker, John A. Boehner, a Republican, infuriating the White House and some Democratic members.One question going forward is how fiercely Mr. Netanyahu will fight the deal in Congress, where he spoke against it last month at the invitation of the House speaker, John A. Boehner, a Republican, infuriating the White House and some Democratic members.
He gave no hint of his next steps in the Friday statement, beyond the demand for recognition. While Mr. Netanyahu had not previously mentioned recognition in regard to Iran, he has made a similar call in recent negotiations with the Palestinians.He gave no hint of his next steps in the Friday statement, beyond the demand for recognition. While Mr. Netanyahu had not previously mentioned recognition in regard to Iran, he has made a similar call in recent negotiations with the Palestinians.
In the Palestinian arena, Mr. Netanyahu has demanded not only the recognition of Israel’s right to exist – something the Palestine Liberation Organization has already accepted – but recognition that Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people. Without that recognition, the prime minister argues, any peace deal would not necessarily portend the end of the long-running conflict. Asked on Friday about Mr. Netanyahu’s new demand, a State Department spokeswoman, Marie Harf, told reporters in Washington that the negotiations with Iran on the agreement were “only about the nuclear issue.”
In the Palestinian arena, Mr. Netanyahu has demanded not only the recognition of Israel’s right to exist – something the leadership has already done — but recognition that Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people. Without that recognition, the prime minister argues, any peace deal would not necessarily portend the end of the long-running conflict.
Mr. Netanyahu’s statement on the Iran deal was his lengthiest and most detailed of the past week.Mr. Netanyahu’s statement on the Iran deal was his lengthiest and most detailed of the past week.
It criticized the framework agreement, saying it leaves “Iran with a vast nuclear infrastructure,” since it does not call for shutting facilities, destroying centrifuges or halting research and development. The prime minister also criticized the promise to “lift sanctions immediately,” saying it “would greatly bolster Iran’s economy” and “give Iran thereby tremendous means to propel its aggression and terrorism throughout the Middle East.”It criticized the framework agreement, saying it leaves “Iran with a vast nuclear infrastructure,” since it does not call for shutting facilities, destroying centrifuges or halting research and development. The prime minister also criticized the promise to “lift sanctions immediately,” saying it “would greatly bolster Iran’s economy” and “give Iran thereby tremendous means to propel its aggression and terrorism throughout the Middle East.”
“Such a deal does not block Iran’s path to the bomb,” he said, reprising language he used in his speech to Congress. “Such a deal paves Iran’s path to the bomb.”“Such a deal does not block Iran’s path to the bomb,” he said, reprising language he used in his speech to Congress. “Such a deal paves Iran’s path to the bomb.”
The alternative, he said, is not war, but “standing firm, increasing the pressure on Iran until a good deal is achieved.”The alternative, he said, is not war, but “standing firm, increasing the pressure on Iran until a good deal is achieved.”