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Netanyahu strikes defiant tone on Iran nuclear deal, ‘from position of strength’

Prime minister vows to fight Iran nuclear deal, Iranian entrenchment in Syria, inflation, judicial overreach, and crime.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu laid out his agenda for the new government Tuesday, emphasizing Israel’s efforts to prevent the restoration of the Iran nuclear deal and to curtail Iran’s operations in Syria.

Speaking at the opening of the first cabinet meeting since the government was sworn in last Thursday, Netanyahu said that under his leadership, Israel will ratchet up pressure on the West not to restore the Iran nuclear deal under the terms laid out in the Vienna talks.

“We will work openly, from a position of strength, in the international arena against a return to the nuclear agreement, not only in talks with leaders behind closed doors but strongly and openly in the sphere of global opinion, which is now aware of the true dangers posed by Iran – the Iranian regime that is killing innocent citizens in and beyond Iran,” Netanyahu said.

“Unfortunately, in contrast to the prevailing opinion that this dangerous nuclear opinion has disappeared from the agenda following the recent events in Iran, I think that this possibility has not yet finally disappeared from the agenda.”

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The prime minister added that Israel will take “vigorous action” to bar Iran from expanding its military presence in Syria.

“We will do everything to prevent the return to this bad agreement, which is leading to a nuclear Iran under international auspices. We will also take vigorous action to prevent the Iranian military entrenchment in Syria and elsewhere and we will not wait.”

Netanyahu also expressed optimism that Israel will be able to expand the Abraham Accords, normalizing ties with additional moderate Arab states.

“We are united in expanding the circle of peace, which I am certain also unites every Israeli citizen. After achieving four historic peace agreements in four months, we are also determined to deepen the existing peace agreements with six Arab countries and add to them historic breakthroughs with additional Arab countries in the region.”

On the domestic front, Prime Minister Netanyahu touched on judicial reform, public security and crime, as well as inflation and the cost of living, vowing “immediate emergency steps” to lessen the impact of price hikes.

“We are also united regarding the restoration of personal security and we received a clear mandate from the public to restore it. We will act aggressively against lawbreakers wherever they are in order to restore personal security to every Israeli citizen, Jews and Arabs alike,” he said.

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“We are united regarding the strengthening of governance and we received a clear mandate from the public about this as well. To this end, we will introduce reforms that will increase governance and ensure the proper balance between the authorities.

“We are united in the fight against the cost-of-living. We will take action to alleviate the situation for Israeli citizens who have absorbed steep price increases in the past year due to the combination of global inflation and the complete inaction of the outgoing government which did not even take minimal steps to alleviate and even prevent the situation that has occurred.

“Last night, I held a preliminary economic discussion with the Finance Minister, the Economy Minister and Prof. Avi Simhon about the immediate emergency steps that we will take on this matter in the coming days.”