The challenge posed to Israel by Iran's nuclear program is one that must be addressed regardless of the nature of the coalition formed following the elections. Even if the political blocs are deadlocked again, their leaders must find a way to put their differences aside for the sake of this pressing issue.
The 2015 nuclear deal with Iran is set to expire in five years, and perhaps even sooner if Iran continues with its gradual withdrawal from the restriction imposed on it as part of the pact.
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The deal does not prevent Iran from pursuing the development of a nuclear weapon to begin with, nor does it truly disrupt the Islamic republic's ability to achieve its shortfall en route to one. This involves mainly the development of ballistic missiles, which were excluded from the accord, and the completion of the development of the ignition mechanism necessary to power nuclear warheads.
The latter is taking place at the military complex in Parchin, southeast of Tehran, and to which International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors have not been allowed full access, meaning there is no effective oversight on Iran's work there – all part of an outrageous secret agreement that was never disclosed to the public.
Faced with the weakness of the European powers signatories to the deal Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's approach to the issue will see him go down in history as both responsible and admirable. Despite scathing criticism, he has appropriated billions to the creation of credible and independent Israeli military offensive capabilities against Iran.
The potential to mount a military offensive is important for the future. Netanyahu has both been able to bring world powers to impose crippling sanctions on Iran and, when the Obama administration hammered out the nuclear agreement behind Israel's back, Netanyahu faced off with him in a daring display of leadership in an attempt to foil this dangerous agreement.
The deal, it must be stressed, not only set in motion the gradual removal of the sanctions imposed on Iran, included the transfer of hundreds of billions of dollars to Iran, which in turn bolstered the Revolutionary Guards and fueled Iran's ability to sponsor terrorism worldwide via its Quds Force.
While Netanyahu's attempt to rally the US Congress against the deal was unsuccessful, his perseverance eventually prompted US President Donald Trump to pull out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in mid-2018.
The historic challenge facing the Israeli leadership will only grow in the coming years. The Revolutionary Guards are inspired by radical dogged messianic ideology, as evident by their recent attacks on US bases in Iraq and the Saudi oil facilities.
The reversal in US policy has created a unique opportunity to shift the wheels of history toward neutralizing the threat of the Islamic Republic turning into a nuclear power. Still, the realization of this opportunity involves highly complex and prudent political conduct by the Israeli leadership.
This struggle involves the perils of actual war with the regional Iranian proxies lurking on Israel's borders. These wars will see thousands of missiles fired at Israel's length and breadth and they are bound to inflict harm on the Israeli home front and the economy.
Netanyahu's experience and diplomatic ties are essential for the careful-yet-relentless management of this challenge. The overt and covert contexts, and shared strategic interests that Netanyahu has fostered critical international actors in the struggle – form Trump to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and the moderate Arab and Muslim leaders in the Persian Gulf are crucial assets in playing this aggressive chess game with none other than the nation that invented it.
