Keeping Israel’s Enemies at Bay
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has drawn a line in the stand for his foreign policy. In an interview with The New York Times published this morning, he said he would not return to the Iran nuclear deal nor authorize the creation of a Palestinian state on his watch. Bennett does not share U.S. President Joe Biden’s desire to rejoin the nuclear deal, as Iran’s quick advances in nuclear enrichment is too troubling to progress with the deal. The issue of a Palestinian state is closed in his mind because “the Palestinian leadership is fractured and rudderless,” according to worldisraelnews.com. Bennett also doesn’t seek to move forward with this idea because it could destroy his fragile coalition of everything from nationalist Jewish parties to left-wing and Arab parties.
Despite the disagreement with Biden on the nuclear deal, Bennett indicated strong cooperation with the U.S. concerning Iran ahead of Bennett’s visit with Biden tomorrow. He also plans to use Israel’s new alliances with Arab countries in the region (including Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan) to stand strong against Iran’s looming threat.
“What we need to do, and what we are doing, is forming a regional coalition of reasonable Arab countries, together with us, that will fend off and block this expansion and this desire for [Iranian] domination,” he said.
Bennett seems to be making the right moves in advance of his meeting with President Biden. The relationship between Israel and the U.S. is of great importance to Israel’s security against Iran on a large-scale, but its peace pacts with its regional neighbors gives them an added edge that might even more effectively give Iran reason to pause. Defense Minister Benny Gantz today said that “Iran is only two months away from acquiring the materials necessary for a nuclear weapon,” adding to the urgency for Israel to create a strong defense. The nation’s security is also boosted by his refusal to concede land for a Palestinian state nor to return to the nuclear deal. This keeps Israel’s enemies off their doorstep for the moment, and we pray that God continues to protect the nation and its leaders make the right moves to ensure security.
