Israeli ministers and opposition criticize US‑Iran agreement.

Israeli politicians from across the political spectrum condemned the United States–Iran agreement on Monday, arguing that it would not safeguard Israel’s security and could even undermine the country’s military gains.

Two far‑right ministers declared that Israel was not bound by the deal, while a leading opposition candidate for the upcoming elections warned that the agreement represented a “dangerous turn” for the nation’s security.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said on his Telegram channel, the first reaction from an Israeli official to the deal, “Trump’s agreement does not bind us… we are not party to this agreement. It does not safeguard our security.” He added, “We must not settle for anything less than the dismantling of Hezbollah. We must not withdraw from a single inch of territory that our soldiers have captured and cleared of terrorist infrastructure.”

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich echoed the criticism, calling the deal “bad for Israel”. “The joint (US‑Israeli) campaign achieved many successes in weakening Iran, and those achievements have not been in vain,” he said. “We will have to continue the campaign to bring down the regime ourselves, using creative means, and ensure that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons.” Smotrich also urged a stronger campaign in Lebanon, stating, “We will be judged in Lebanon. This is our war, our soldiers, and the immediate security of our northern residents.” He added, “I will continue working to ensure that we stand firm on our position and allow the IDF complete freedom of action to continue pushing Hezbollah farther away.”

Opposition figures also condemned the agreement, criticizing Prime Minister Netanyahu’s handling of the war and its aftermath. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, a leading contender in Israel’s upcoming election, described the deal as a “dangerous turn for Israel’s security”. In a statement, he said, “In the past 1,000 days, we have discovered time and again the greatness of our nation and the weakness of the government.” Bennett added, “We have a clear strategic plan to collapse the Iranian regime. With one hand, we will not allow Iran to break out to a nuclear weapon, and with the other hand, we will bring about the disintegration of the regime through combined diplomatic, intelligence, economic, technological, and military means.”

Yair Golan, head of the left‑wing Democrats Party, argued that the deal effectively erased Israel’s military gains. “With the stroke of a pen, enormous military achievements — achieved through the courage of our pilots and the sacrifice of our soldiers — have been erased, while Netanyahu stood on the sidelines: weak, ill, isolated, and without influence,” Golan said. He added, “Trump is signing an agreement that pours billions into the ayatollahs’ regime, leaves the nuclear infrastructure intact, leaves the ballistic threat unresolved, and provides a lifeline to the murderous regime in Tehran.”

AFP

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