With the US racing toward a return to the 2015 nuclear deal, calls have grown for Israel to ramp up efforts to prevent such a move.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
Dr. Michael Makovsky, president of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, has called on the Israeli government to voice clear opposition to the nuclear agreement, in particular, if the sides appear poised to strike a deal.
An influential figure in Washington, Makovsky was set to wrap up two delegations of high-ranking US security officials to Israel, Sunday.
While in Israel, delegation members met with senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi and toured Hezbollah and Hamas tunnels.
Asked about US-Israel ties, Makovsy said Israel must clearly present its opposition to a return to the nuclear deal. Noting his opposition to the original deal when it was signed in 2015, Makovsky said the US must not return to the accord.
Noting the issue was an existential one for Israel, Makovsky said Jerusalem had a right to voice its opinion "as a sovereign state."
Many people in the US who care about Israel and America are interested in Israel's position, he said.
He said that if the Israelis were of the opinion that Washington was listening to their concerns, it might make sense to express less vocal opposition. However, if Jerusalem did not believe this to be the case, then Israel can and should speak out forcefully against the accord.
Noting this should be done with respect, Makovsky said the Jewish state had every right to adopt the outspoken approach of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who railed against the 2015 deal in an address to the US Congress before it was signed.
According to Makovsky, many Americans, including their representatives in the US Congress, are not sufficiently knowledgeable of the deal. As a result, he said, the position Israel presents could help them form an opinion on the matter.
He said a new deal was unlikely to earn majority support in Congress due to Republican opposition "and given the fact that quite a few Democrats opposed the original deal." As a result, Makovsky said there would likely be more opponents than supporters of a deal in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Although Congress would not have a final say in a return to the Iran nuclear deal, its opinion nevertheless matters. Israel must therefore make its opposition clear, he said.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
