Against the backdrop of an emerging deal between the United States and Iran, Knesset Member David Bitan said Monday morning that Israel will be forced to act against the Iranian threat on a regular basis. “We’ll need to deal with this issue once every year and a half to two years, we have no choice,” Bitan said in an interview with 103FM. He expressed hope that the Trump administration will understand that the framework that has been published cannot be accepted.
Bitan went on to address the Iranian missile threat: “Each time we’ll need to deal with this anew. Otherwise they’ll get to very many missiles, and then if there’s a war it will be an existential danger.” He emphasized Israel’s commitment to preventing a nuclear Tehran: “Iran will not be nuclear, we will do everything we can so that it won’t be nuclear. We cannot allow this from an existential standpoint.”
Bitan’s remarks came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the issue yesterday. Netanyahu revealed that he spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump about the negotiations and about the memorandum of understanding to open the Strait of Hormuz. “President Trump and I agreed that any final deal with Iran must remove the nuclear threat,” the prime minister said, emphasizing that this means complete dismantling of enrichment facilities.
The prime minister concluded with a firm and clear message, reinforcing the strategic alliance with Washington: “President Trump reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself against threats on all fronts. The partnership between us and our two countries has been proven on the battlefield and has never been stronger. My policy, like President Trump’s policy, remains unchanged: Iran will not have nuclear weapons.”