by Tovah Lazaroff
Former defense minister Benny Gantz said that he believes Netanyahu has abandoned the security of Israel and its citizens.
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MK Yair Lapid seen at a protest against the judicial overhaul, outside the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem. February 13, 2023.
(photo credit: ARIE LEIB ABRAMS/FLASH 90)
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The Saudi-Iran deal is a dangerous development that strips Israel of its regional defensive wall against Iran, former prime minister Yair Lapid said on Friday.
“The agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran reflects the complete and dangerous failure of the Israeli government's foreign policy,” Lapid said as he used the moment to attack Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations on Friday after talks in Beijing between top security officials from the two rival Middle East powers, Iranian state media reported on Friday.
"As a result of the talks, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to resume diplomatic relations and re-open embassies...within two months," Iranian news agency IRNA reported.
Israeli politicians immediately expressed concern as the move appeared to throw a monkey wrench in one of Netanyahu’s new government’s chief policy initiatives — to normalize ties with Saudi Arabia.
Israel has presumed that the necessity of creating a Gulf alliance between Israel and its Arab partners against Iran, would help provide an incentive for the establishment of ties between Israel and the Jewish state.
“Countries in the world and the region are watching Israel in turmoil over the dysfunctional government that is engaged in systematic self-destruction.”
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett
“This is what happens when one deals with legal insanity all day instead of doing one's job against Iran and strengthening relations with the United States,” he added.
How would diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran impact Israel?
Former prime minister reacts
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett called news of the renewed Iran-Saudi alliance a “serious and dangerous development for Israel” and a "political victory for Iran.”
“This delivers a fatal blow to efforts to build a regional coalition against Iran,” said Bennett.
He used the moment to attack Netanyahu charging the Iran-Saudi alliance reflected the “resounding failure of the Netanyahu government and stems from a combination of political neglect with the country’s general weakness and internal conflict.”
“Countries in the world and the region are watching Israel in turmoil over the dysfunctional government that is engaged in systematic self-destruction,” Bennett said adding in this case one of those countries chose a side.
“Netanyahu government is a resounding economic, political and security failure, and every day of its existence endangers the State of Israel.
“We need a broad national emergency government, which will work to repair the damage,” Bennett added.
Bad for Israel, bad for the world
Former defense minister Benny Gantz commented on renewed diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, stating that it was a cause for concern and a development that cannot be ignored. Gantz criticized the prime minister, stating that “the enormous security challenges facing the country are increasing and the Prime Minister and his cabinet are busy with a coup d’état."
Gantz added that he believed the security of Israel and its citizens had been abandoned by Netanyahu.
Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein said the alliance was “bad for Israel and the entire free world.”
Experts weigh in
Iranian expert Danny (Dennis) Citrinowicz from the Institute of National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University tweeted that the new alliance was a message to Israel that its dream of a regional alliance was not feasible and never had been.
It underscored the point that most of the countries in the region view dialogue as the best way to deal with Iran, leaving Israel as the sole country that is focused on a military option.
Analyst and former MK Ksenia Svetlova of the Mitvim, the Israeli Regional Institute for Foreign Policy noted on Twitter that “Saudi Arabia is normalizing relations. No, not with Israel but rather with Iran” while it has rebuked Israel publicly for its treatment of the Palestinians.
“Only two months ago, Netanyahu promised to bring peace with Saudi Arabia. We seem to be moving in the opposite direction,” she wrote.
Reuters contributed to this report
Tovah Lazaroff
Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-733960
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