Iran Nuclear Deal Leaves Israel Odd Man Out With Few Options
By Calev Ben-David - Nov 25, 2013
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed the world for years to limit Iran’s nuclear program. After rejecting a deal designed to do just that, he finds himself the odd man out with his own options, including military action, limited.
Government officials and analysts said Israel may now try to influence the shape of any final accord, and won’t seek to hit Iranian facilities. Iran has accused Israel of killing scientists in its nuclear and missile programs, and covert operations may be more likely than an attack, analysts said.
Israel’s rejection of the accord reached in Geneva by Iran and six leading nations over the weekend was swift. The agreement is a “historic mistake” that leaves the world “a much more dangerous place, because the most dangerous regime in the world has taken a significant step toward attaining the most dangerous weapon,” Netanyahu said.
The first accord since the Iranian nuclear program came under international scrutiny in 2003 eases sanctions on Iran in return for concessions on its atomic work. Its six-month timetable is meant to give negotiators time to seek a comprehensive deal to halt Iranian nuclear work that they, like Israel, think is a cover to build weapons.
“We have to get ready for the real battle, which is how the final agreement will look,” Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin said in an interview with Israel Radio. The challenge will be “to see where the red lines are.”
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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-24/iran-nuclear-deal-leaves-israel-odd-man-out-with-limited-options.html