| ID | 183790 |
| Title Proper | New Israeli Approach to Iran? |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Kaye, Dalia Dassa |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s cordial relations with the Biden administration and relatively muted posture during nuclear negotiations in Vienna raise questions about whether his government is pursuing a different strategy towards Iran than did his predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu. This article argues that it is not. Despite reinvigorated Israeli debates critical of Netanyahu’s policies and improved atmospherics with the American government, official Israeli policy remains essentially unchanged. The Israeli government is still wary of nuclear diplomacy, offers few alternatives to continued diplomatic and economic pressure, and views military options as viable even if they can only set back Iran’s nuclear programme temporarily. While Bennett wants to avoid open confrontation with Washington, Israel will not relax tensions with Iran, particularly in non-nuclear arenas like Syria. In the past, Israeli sabotage against Iran’s nuclear assets subsided in the run-up to and after the nuclear agreement; this time around, Israel may not feel so constrained. |
| `In' analytical Note | Survival : the IISS Quarterly Vol. 64, No.2; Apr-May 2022: p.111-124 |
| Journal Source | Survival : the IISS Quarterly Vol: 64 No 2 |
| Key Words | Israel ; Iran ; Iranian Nuclear Programme ; Naftali Bennett ; Biden Administration |