Iran deal divides Israeli Center-Left

Zionist Union head Isaac Herzog criticized the international community for removing the sanctions and made no reference to Netanyahu.

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
Updated: JANUARY 18, 2016 01:14
Zionist Union head Isaac Herzog speaks to the press (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
Zionist Union head Isaac Herzog speaks to the press
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
The removal of sanctions on Iran caused deep divisions among opponents of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the Left and the Center of the Israeli political map.
The only MK who released a statement blaming the sanctions removal on Netanyahu’s failure to stop the international community from reaching a deal with the Islamic Republic was Ksenia Svetlova from the Zionist Union.
“This is the time to admit that Netanyahu’s foreign policy failed dramatically,” Svetlova said. “The removal of the sanctions is biting proof of the biggest failure of Israeli diplomacy in many years.
Unfortunately Mr. No Security failed in his foreign relations.”
By contrast, Zionist Union chairman Isaac Herzog criticized the sanctions removal and said money that will soon start flowing to Iran will finance explosives that will “blow up in cities around the world.”
Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid said that “as the situation in the Middle East becomes increasingly unstable this is the worst possible time to infuse terrorists with money and resources.
“There is no sense that Iran is growing more moderate in any way – they continue to hang gay people, arrest journalists, discriminate against women and suppress other religions. Iran stands against human rights, democracy and liberal values,” Lapid said.
Some Zionist Union lawmakers praised the deal’s implementation.
“The Iranian threat to Israel has decreased. Netanyahu and his ministers continue with their scare tactics, because it’s all they know how to do,” MK Omer Bar-Lev said.
Zionist Union faction head Merav Michaeli said “it is unfortunate that over the years, Netanyahu insisted that the deal be only on the nuclear issue and not on Iran’s hostile acts. Despite what Netanyahu has said on the nuclear issue, the agreement has made Israel safer.”