In any deal, Iran must recognise Israel’s right to exist: Netanyahu
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was scheduled to hold a meeting of security chiefs to take stock of the situation over the Iran accord, according to media reports
Jerusalem, April 3: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that any final nuclear deal with Iran must include a commitment from Tehran recognising Israel’s right to exist.
Mr Netanyahu, whose address to the US Congress last month failed to stop the United States and five other major powers agreeing a framework accord with Tehran on Thursday, made the demand after his security Cabinet met to discuss the deal. “Israel demands that any final agreement with Iran will include a clear and unambiguous Iranian commitment of Israel’s right to exist,” Mr Netanyahu said in a statement.
“Israel will not accept an agreement which allows a country that vows to annihilate us to develop nuclear weapons, period.”
Mr Netanyahu was scheduled to hold talks with senior security officials on Friday, an aide said.
“The prime minister will hold security consultations,” the aide said, without providing details.
Local media reported that Mr Netanyahu had called a meeting of his security cabinet, including ministers, as well as senior officials from Israel's security services.
US President Barack Obama called Mr Netanyahu within hours of the talks concluding, saying the deal represented progress toward a lasting solution that cuts off Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon.
But Mr Netanyahu said a final accord based on what was agreed in Lausanne, Switzerland “would threaten the survival of Israel” and rather than blocking Tehran’s path to the bomb, “would pave it”.
“This deal would legitimise Iran’s nuclear programme, bolster Iran’s economy and increase Iran’s aggression and terror throughout the Middle East and beyond,” Mr Netanyahu said. “It would increase the risks of nuclear proliferation in the region and the risks of a horrific war.”
Mr Obama mentioned several times during his speech on the deal that the United States stood with Israel on security and would not allow “any daylight” between their positions, but the reassurances have not satisfied Mr Netanyahu. Israel, believed to be the only nucleararmed state in West Asia, has previously said it could take pre- emptive military action if necessary to stop Iran getting such weapons. While that rhetoric has died down over the past year or so, the head of Israel’s military planning directorate said it was still a possibility.