Ron Dermer, Israel’s new minister for strategic affairs, flew to Washington in January for talks with senior US officials ahead of visits to Israel by National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Foreign Secretary Antony Blinken. Israeli officials said Dermer’s trip focused on initial coordination between the Biden administration and the new Israeli government on a range of issues, particularly Iran.
In his first appearance as a minister in the US, Dermer addressed a gala dinner of the International March of the Living in Miami on January 10, stating clearly that the new government is firmly committed to standing strong against Iran, while expanding peace in the region.
On the importance of combating antisemitism globally, Dermer said, “If you’re going to deal with antisemitism, you have to fight back. You have to be willing to stand up against antisemitism. Jews cannot wait in the background and ask others to fight our battles for us. You have to be front and center and to be proud and to stand up to the antisemites. And we have to put all the politics aside.
“It doesn’t matter – Democrat, Republican, Left or Right – you have to call out antisemitism on your side of the aisle and hold hands with people on the other side of the aisle to fight against that scourge. We’re not going to stop antisemitism, but we will make it smaller and smaller. If we don’t fight it, you will see that what was the red line yesterday will be wiped away, and the red line will keep moving and keep moving and keep moving.”
“It doesn’t matter – Democrat, Republican, Left or Right – you have to call out antisemitism on your side of the aisle and hold hands with people on the other side of the aisle to fight against that scourge. We’re not going to stop antisemitism, but we will make it smaller and smaller. If we don’t fight it, you will see that what was the red line yesterday will be wiped away, and the red line will keep moving and keep moving and keep moving.”
Ron Dermer
Regarding the new government’s priorities, Dermer said he was honored to be working with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – “doing everything in our power to make sure that the regime in Tehran, which openly calls and actively works to destroy the one and only Jewish state, does not achieve that goal.”
He added, pointedly, “I think the policy towards Iran is a critical part of expanding peace because I think it opens the space for Arab leaders to move into a public alliance with Israel when we face this common enemy together.”
Iran is at the top of Israel's new government's agenda
Netanyahu has made it clear that Iran is at the top of his government’s agenda. At the first meeting of his new cabinet on January 3, the prime minister said he would change Israel’s strategy on countering Iran’s nuclear ambitions, explaining that he would focus his attention on thwarting efforts by Western powers to resuscitate their 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.
“We will act powerfully and openly on the international level against a return to the nuclear agreement – not only in talks with leaders behind closed doors but also powerfully and openly in the arena of global public opinion,” he declared.
“Iran is responsible for 90% of the problems in the Middle East. This regime threatens to destroy us. We will not wait for a sharp sword to be placed on our necks. The IDF, the Shin Bet and the Mossad will do whatever it takes.”
Benjamin Netanyahu
At a ceremony at the Prime Minister’s Office on January 16 in which Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi officially became Israel’s 23rd chief of staff, Netanyahu said: “Iran is responsible for 90% of the problems in the Middle East. This regime threatens to destroy us. We will not wait for a sharp sword to be placed on our necks. The IDF, the Shin Bet and the Mossad will do whatever it takes.”
Mossad Director David Barnea, speaking at a recent event at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, cautioned that Iran is continuing to supply Russia with advanced weaponry – including drones – in its war against Ukraine. “We warn against Iran’s future intentions, which they are trying to keep secret, to deepen and expand the supply of advanced weapons to Russia, to expand the uranium enrichment project, and to intensify their attacks against friendly Muslim countries in the region,” Barnea said.
Netanyahu wants to be remembered as the Israeli leader who stopped Iran from becoming nuclear. It is Dermer’s mission to help realize this legacy.