ISRAEL AT THE UNITED NATIONS

BLOG 536

October 4, 2021

WISE ON THE MIDDLE EAST

Each week Robert L. Wise, Ph.D., explores the Middle Eastern situation, ranging from Egypt through Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and the surrounding area. Wise first traveled to Israel and the neighboring countries in 1968. Two of his sons taught in Jordan and Lebanon universities. Wise presents an objective view of the behind the scenes situation in these countries.

ISRAEL AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Many people have wondered why Israel and the United States have such different perspectives on the treaty that supposedly limes  Iran’s involvement in creating nuclear weapons. Israel has strongly opposed the USA rejoining the treaty. Israel’s position became clearer during this past week’s appearance by Naftali Bennett speaking before the United Nations. His speech further articulated where Israel stands.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Monday warned the United Nations General Assembly that Iran’s nuclear weapon program is at a “critical point.” In his first address to the annual forum, Bennett focused heavily on Iran, stressing Tehran’s funding of proxies like Hezbollah, Shia militias, Islamic Jihad and Hamas. “Iran seeks to dominate the region and seeks to do so under a nuclear umbrella,” Bennett said. “For the past three decades Iran has spread its carnage and destruction around the Middle East, country after country: Lebanon. Iraq. Syria. Yemen, and Gaza.”

 Bennett compared what he called Iran’s “Mullah-touch” to the Midas touch of Greek mythology: “Every place Iran touches— fails.” He emphasized Iranian UAV attacks on civilian shipping, Saudi and US targets, before turning to new Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his human rights record. “In 1988, Iran set up a death commission that ordered the mass murder of 5,000 political activists,” the premier said. “They were hanged from cranes.”

One of the witnesses of this massacre,” Bennett continued, “stated in her testimony, that when Raisi would finish a round of murder, he’d throw a party, pocketing the money of those he just executed… and then would sit down to eat cream cakes.”

Bennett then argued that Iran has crossed “all red lines” in its nuclear program, and claimed that proof of its nuclear weapons goal found at several secret sites was being ignored.  All wishful thinking has proven false,” he said.

“Iran is violating the IAEA’s safeguard agreements, and it’s getting away with it. They harass inspectors and sabotage their investigations, and they’re getting away with it. They enrich uranium to the level of 60 percent, which is one step short of weapons-grade material, and they’re getting away with it,” he continued.  “Evidence which clearly proves Iran’s intentions for nuclear weapons in secret working sites in Turquzabad, Teheran and Marivan is ignored,” he claimed. “Iran’s nuclear program has hit a watershed moment. And so has our tolerance. Words do not stop centrifuges from spinning,” he said, hinting Israel could act against Iran’s nuclear program.

The prime minister’s speech opened and closed with the theme that Israel is a “lighthouse in a stormy sea.” Bennett called Israel “a beacon of democracy, diverse by design, innovative by nature, and eager to contribute to the world despite being in the toughest neighborhood on earth.”

Stay tuned. More to come.

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