In an attempt to justify the decisions of his government in and at the same time to reverse the image of conflict with him regarding the situation in and in, the prime minister of Israel indulged in pre-election (elections will probably be held in the fall) during his interview with CNBC.
Netanyahu wanted to send a clear message to Tehran that the military option has not been removed from the table, at a time when the US-Iran negotiations on the nuclear program remain deadlocked and the tension in the Middle East is still running at high levels both because of the situation in Lebanon and because of the “soft” escalation in the Gulf for now.
As Netanyahu famously said about the truce with Iran, it is now more “a game of tactics” than a firm agreement, which leaves open the possibility of further escalation.
Netanyahu noted that Iran knows the American positions very well, citing statements by Donald Trump that, if required, a full return to military operations is not ruled out. As he said, both Israel and US forces remain on alert, while the final decision rests with Washington.
At the same time, he warned the Iranian leadership that it is “playing with fire” and should seriously consider the consequences of its choices, at a time when regional instability remains intense.
Iran, Hezbollah and Europe at the center of the rhetoric
The Israeli prime minister called Iran an existential threat not only to Israel but also to the US and Western democracies as a whole, arguing that Tehran seeks to export instability and strengthen armed organizations internationally.
In the same context, he advocated the disarmament of Hezbollah and the demilitarization of Lebanon, pointing out that this is a goal that, he said, is also shared by the American side. “If we want peace in Lebanon, this is necessary,” he said.
Netanyahu reiterated that Israel’s top priority remains preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, stressing that despite occasional disagreements with Donald Trump, the two sides agree on that strategic goal.
However, he admitted that how the conflict will end remains an “open question”, as diplomatic processes continue without a clear outcome and tensions between Israel, Iran and the US remain high.
Relations with Trump and attack on Europe
Referring to his relations with the American president, the Israeli prime minister tried to downplay the rupture scenarios, saying that these are “regular disagreements” between close allies who maintain a common strategy.
At the same time, he criticized European governments for their attitude towards Israel, arguing that they are not showing sufficient resolve in the face of threats that he said are linked to radical Islamic networks.
Netanyahu also referred to the developments in the Straits of Hormuz, applauding the American strategy of pressure on Iran and calling the tactic of blocking Iranian energy transport routes “genius”. According to him, alternative energy transmission routes are already being developed that could mitigate the effects of a potential blockade of the region.
