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| Iran Deal Denounced by Netanyahu as ‘Historic Mistake’ | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu furiously denounced a deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program on Tuesday as a “historic mistake for the world,” accusing the United States and five other global powers of making “far-reaching concessions” in order to achieve an agreement “at any price.” | JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu furiously denounced a deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program on Tuesday as a “historic mistake for the world,” accusing the United States and five other global powers of making “far-reaching concessions” in order to achieve an agreement “at any price.” |
| Speaking before a formal announcement of the deal, Mr. Netanyahu said that initial reports indicated that the concessions were made “in all areas that were supposed to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons capability.” | Speaking before a formal announcement of the deal, Mr. Netanyahu said that initial reports indicated that the concessions were made “in all areas that were supposed to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons capability.” |
| “In addition,” he said, referring to the expected lifting of sanctions, “Iran will receive hundreds of billions of dollars with which it can fuel its terror machine and its expansion and aggression throughout the Middle East and across the globe.” | “In addition,” he said, referring to the expected lifting of sanctions, “Iran will receive hundreds of billions of dollars with which it can fuel its terror machine and its expansion and aggression throughout the Middle East and across the globe.” |
| For Mr. Netanyahu, the Iran nuclear deal is the bitter culmination of a long struggle that has severely strained Israel’s relations with the United States, its crucial ally. Israeli leaders have indicated that the country will not be bound by the agreement and have warned in recent days that it will continue to maintain its ability to defend itself. | For Mr. Netanyahu, the Iran nuclear deal is the bitter culmination of a long struggle that has severely strained Israel’s relations with the United States, its crucial ally. Israeli leaders have indicated that the country will not be bound by the agreement and have warned in recent days that it will continue to maintain its ability to defend itself. |
| “We knew very well that the desire to sign an agreement was stronger than anything, and therefore we did not commit to preventing an agreement,” Mr. Netanyahu said at the start of a meeting here with the Dutch foreign minister, Bert Koenders. “We did commit to preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and this commitment still stands.” | “We knew very well that the desire to sign an agreement was stronger than anything, and therefore we did not commit to preventing an agreement,” Mr. Netanyahu said at the start of a meeting here with the Dutch foreign minister, Bert Koenders. “We did commit to preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and this commitment still stands.” |
| The Israeli defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, issued a warning on Monday as the deal appeared imminent. “Obviously we are going to have to continue to prepare to defend ourselves by ourselves,” he said. | The Israeli defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, issued a warning on Monday as the deal appeared imminent. “Obviously we are going to have to continue to prepare to defend ourselves by ourselves,” he said. |
| Israel views a nuclear-armed Iran as a potentially existential threat, and Mr. Netanyahu has said that a deal will eventually pave the way for Iran to quickly produce multiple bombs. | Israel views a nuclear-armed Iran as a potentially existential threat, and Mr. Netanyahu has said that a deal will eventually pave the way for Iran to quickly produce multiple bombs. |
| Even before the details of the deal were made public, Israeli experts pointed to some fundamental principles that they said posed deep problems. | Even before the details of the deal were made public, Israeli experts pointed to some fundamental principles that they said posed deep problems. |
| “Unlike the policy originally declared by the United States to dismantle Iran’s nuclear capability,” said Yaakov Amidror, a former Israeli national security adviser who is now at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv, “that moved to managing the Iranian nuclear capability.” | “Unlike the policy originally declared by the United States to dismantle Iran’s nuclear capability,” said Yaakov Amidror, a former Israeli national security adviser who is now at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv, “that moved to managing the Iranian nuclear capability.” |
| In addition, Mr. Amidror, a former major general and head of research at Israel’s military intelligence division, said the deal afforded Iran legitimacy for a partial nuclear program now and for a full program after 10 or 15 years. | In addition, Mr. Amidror, a former major general and head of research at Israel’s military intelligence division, said the deal afforded Iran legitimacy for a partial nuclear program now and for a full program after 10 or 15 years. |
| Although Iran has insisted that its nuclear program is meant for peaceful purposes, there is “not one piece of logic — not even a slight one — related to this project that is not military,” Mr. Amidror said. He added that there was nothing about it that was “remotely connected to a civilian program.” | Although Iran has insisted that its nuclear program is meant for peaceful purposes, there is “not one piece of logic — not even a slight one — related to this project that is not military,” Mr. Amidror said. He added that there was nothing about it that was “remotely connected to a civilian program.” |
| In a rare display of Israeli consensus, criticism of the deal crossed the political lines. | In a rare display of Israeli consensus, criticism of the deal crossed the political lines. |
| Tzipi Livni, a leader of the center-left Zionist Union party, which leads the opposition in Parliament, told Ynet, a Hebrew news site, that “Iran is getting legitimacy despite being a state involved in terrorism in the region.” | Tzipi Livni, a leader of the center-left Zionist Union party, which leads the opposition in Parliament, told Ynet, a Hebrew news site, that “Iran is getting legitimacy despite being a state involved in terrorism in the region.” |
| She added, “The agreement is terrible not only because of what it includes but also what it does not.” | She added, “The agreement is terrible not only because of what it includes but also what it does not.” |
| Avigdor Lieberman, the former foreign minister and leader of the ultranationalist Yisrael Beiteinu party, which is also in the opposition, said: “This agreement ignores the big dangers. It is an agreement of total capitulation to unrestrained terrorism and violence in the international arena.” | Avigdor Lieberman, the former foreign minister and leader of the ultranationalist Yisrael Beiteinu party, which is also in the opposition, said: “This agreement ignores the big dangers. It is an agreement of total capitulation to unrestrained terrorism and violence in the international arena.” |
| But Mr. Netanyahu’s opponents have differed on Israel’s approach, particularly toward relations with the Obama administration. Mr. Netanyahu is now gearing up for the next fight: to lobby Congress to reject the deal and ultimately override any presidential veto. | But Mr. Netanyahu’s opponents have differed on Israel’s approach, particularly toward relations with the Obama administration. Mr. Netanyahu is now gearing up for the next fight: to lobby Congress to reject the deal and ultimately override any presidential veto. |
| Mr. Netanyahu’s domestic critics say that the deal is a personal failure for the prime minister, who infuriated the White House by addressing a joint meeting of Congress in the spring to attack the emerging Iran deal. | Mr. Netanyahu’s domestic critics say that the deal is a personal failure for the prime minister, who infuriated the White House by addressing a joint meeting of Congress in the spring to attack the emerging Iran deal. |
| They say that the spoiled relations with the Obama administration harmed Israel’s ability to influence the outcome, and that what is needed now is not more political confrontation with Washington, but the rebuilding of trust and intimacy. | They say that the spoiled relations with the Obama administration harmed Israel’s ability to influence the outcome, and that what is needed now is not more political confrontation with Washington, but the rebuilding of trust and intimacy. |