Israel: Iran has crossed nuclear ‘red lines’
PM Bennett hints at unilateral action in first speech to UN General Assembly
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett yesterday said that Iran had crossed “all red lines” in its nuclear programme and vowed that Israel would not allow Tehran to acquire a nuclear weapon.
In his first speech to the UN General Assembly, Bennett said Iran sought to dominate the Middle East under a “nuclear umbrella” and urged a more concerted international effort to halt Iran’s nuclear activities. But he also hinted at the potential for Israel to act on its own against Iran.
‘Watershed moment’
“Iran’s nuclear programme has hit a watershed moment, and so has our tolerance. Words do not stop centrifuges from spinning,” Bennett said. “Israel will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.”
While there was no immediate response from Iran, Bennett, however, drew an angry Palestinian reaction after he failed to mention the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in his speech.
“Deliberately omitting a reference to Palestine reflects his fear of it, and once again proves to the international community that he is not and will not be a partner for Palestinians in the peace and negotiation process,” Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al Maliki said.
US President Joe Biden, in his UN speech last week, declared renewed support for a two-state solution.