Following reports of progress in negotiations between the US and Iran and of an emerging agreement, concern was registered in Israel on Saturday. In light of the developments, the narrow cabinet convened in the evening. Security officials and coalition faction leaders took part in the meeting, apparently including coalition chairman MK Ofir Katz.
Before the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US President Donald Trump about the negotiations. Trump said that, in addition to the prime minister, he had also spoken with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain. He said most of the details had been agreed upon and that final details were still being discussed. He also said the Strait of Hormuz would reopen.
Earlier, The New York Times reported that just weeks after the historic cooperation in the attack on Iran, Israel had been pushed away from decision-making centers in Washington. According to the report, Netanyahu's promise to Trump that the military cooperation would lead to the fall of the Iranian regime, which proved incorrect, led to Israel being excluded from having influence over the US-Iran negotiations.
Two Israeli security sources told Israel Hayom that the Israeli leadership had been almost completely cut off from updates on what was happening behind closed doors in the critical talks. They added that, because of the lack of information, Israel had to rely on diplomatic sources as well as intelligence sources within the Iranian regime.
In addition, two diplomatic sources told Israel Hayom that the draft on the negotiating table included a basic Iranian commitment to refrain from reaching a nuclear bomb, alongside an agreement to a long-term delay in uranium enrichment.
