Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly defended his government’s handling of the Iranian threat amid mounting criticism from political rivals and coalition partners over an emerging agreement between the United States and Iran.
Addressing a press conference on Monday evening, Netanyahu reiterated that Israel would not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons under any circumstances, regardless of any diplomatic agreement reached between Washington and Tehran.
“Iran will never have nuclear weapons, not today and not tomorrow,” Netanyahu declared. “People ask me what we have achieved, and I answer them: We removed the immediate threat of annihilation from ourselves. Most importantly, we saved the State of Israel from the threat of total destruction.”
The Prime Minister’s remarks came as criticism intensified across Israel’s political spectrum, with opponents questioning both the government’s strategic decisions and its response to the evolving regional situation.
Among the strongest critics was former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who accused the Netanyahu administration of presiding over a period marked by deep national divisions and security failures.
“The term of this government began with a civil war, continued with the October 7 massacre, and is now ending with a historic failure against Iran,” Bennett told reporters.
Positioning himself as an alternative leader, Bennett pledged to restore security and said he would have approached relations with the United States differently. He suggested that stronger diplomatic engagement with U.S. President Donald Trump could have been used more effectively to advance Israel’s national interests.
Criticism also emerged from within Netanyahu’s governing coalition. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stated that any agreement reached between the United States and Iran would not be binding on Israel, reflecting concerns among hardline political factions.
Responding to reports of possible disagreements with Trump regarding the proposed deal, Netanyahu acknowledged occasional differences but emphasized the strength of the relationship between the two leaders.
“There are times when President Trump and I don’t see eye to eye,” Netanyahu said. “Israel’s security interests need to be defended wisely.”
The Israeli leader also addressed concerns surrounding the future of Israeli military deployments in neighboring countries, particularly southern Lebanon. He firmly ruled out any immediate withdrawal from security buffer zones established along Israel’s borders.
“We have established deep security zones around the State of Israel,” Netanyahu said. “We did this in Gaza, in Lebanon and in Syria, where we eliminated all of Assad’s army weapons. We will remain in the security zones as long as necessary to protect our country.”
The Prime Minister argued that Israel’s military operations had significantly weakened hostile groups and reduced threats to Israeli citizens.
“We beheaded the leaders of the terror regime, we crushed the terror factories,” he said. “You were all in terrible danger of death.”
Netanyahu reiterated that Israeli forces would remain in the security buffer zone in southern Lebanon for as long as required to guarantee national security, despite concerns that the issue could complicate broader efforts to secure a regional ceasefire and reduce tensions.
The debate over the emerging U.S.-Iran agreement comes at a critical moment for Israel, with regional security, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon remaining key issues in both domestic politics and international diplomacy.
As discussions continue, Netanyahu faces increasing pressure from both allies and opponents to demonstrate that Israel’s security interests will be fully protected under any future regional arrangement.
