Former Mossad Chief: Netanyahu's Policies are Destructive for Israel

Meir Dagan, the former head of Mossad, has stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policies regarding Iran's nuclear issue have not only harmed Israel's relations with the United States but have also inflicted 'strategic' damage to these relations. He announced that he will soon speak at a large street rally against Netanyahu. Dagan expressed his sharp criticism in relation to Netanyahu's upcoming speech at the U.S. Congress about Iran. In an interview with the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth published on Friday, he described Netanyahu's policies as 'destructive' for Israel's future and security. He added that the U.S. is showing 'greater urgency' at this stage to reach a nuclear agreement with Iran due to Netanyahu's 'severely destructive' actions. According to Dagan, Netanyahu has turned the Iranian nuclear issue into a problem solely for Israel, causing the international community to lose patience with him and 'absolve itself of responsibility.' Dagan further stated, 'The reality is that the only thing Netanyahu is eager for is to take pictures with maps behind him.' He noted that Netanyahu's rationality has not awakened, and despite all the dangers, he still wants to head toward this dead-end path. Dagan mentioned that all Israeli security and military institutions opposed the option of a military attack, but Netanyahu had a different opinion, yet he lacked the courage to take responsibility for the consequences of such an attack 'because he has never accepted responsibility for his decisions.' Dagan also indicated that he is aware that the U.S. will 'punish' Israel for the crisis Netanyahu has created. He suggested that the U.S. may no longer provide the necessary support for Israel on the global stage and that the intentions of some European entities to impose sanctions on Israel for its occupation of Palestinian territories may come to fruition. Dagan stated that he does not want to disclose all his information regarding the 'punishment' of Israel by the U.S. at this time. Since leaving the Mossad four years ago, Dagan has joined the ranks of critics of the current Israeli government's performance regarding Iran and has repeatedly warned about the consequences of his country's unilateral military option against Iran's nuclear sites, even suggesting that this could lead to Israel's destruction. This week, reports published in international media emphasized that the Mossad's assessment of Iran's nuclear program differs from Netanyahu's statements two years ago at the United Nations General Assembly. Reports indicated that the Mossad's assessment is that Iran is still far from being capable of producing a nuclear bomb, whereas Netanyahu had claimed at that time that Iran might complete its capabilities within a year. Israeli media announced that on March 7, a large rally against Netanyahu will be held in 'Rabin Square' in Tel Aviv, with Meir Dagan as the main speaker. This anti-Netanyahu rally will take place ten days before the country's parliamentary elections. In recent days, Netanyahu has emphasized that despite all the criticisms in the U.S. and Israel regarding his upcoming speech, he will carry out his trip to Washington. U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice stated this week that this crisis has 'destroyed the foundation of relations between the two countries.' U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has also, in recent statements, more explicitly than ever, said that Netanyahu's judgment regarding Iran is incorrect. Netanyahu claims that the nuclear agreement being negotiated between the U.S. and other powers with Iran still allows Iran to remain a country capable of producing nuclear bombs. However, this week, the U.S. Secretary of State said that those who do not yet know the details of this agreement are jumping to conclusions and saying that this is not acceptable to us. The nuclear negotiations between Iran and the global powers will continue in Geneva in the coming days, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expected to join the talks between John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart. Concurrently with the trilateral meetings of Kerry, Zarif, and Lavrov in Switzerland, Benjamin Netanyahu will speak at the Congress on March 3 and then deliver his main speech at the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington, focusing on Iran's nuclear program. Despite the unprecedented crisis between Israel and the U.S., the White House has confirmed that Susan Rice and Samantha Power, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, will attend the AIPAC conference.