Opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday excoriated the Bennett-Lapid government for its silence in face of the impending nuclear deal with Iran.

At a Likud party meeting held in memory of Israel’s sixth prime minister Menachem Begin, z’l, Netanyahu began by expressing his appreciation for Begin’s willingness to stand up for Israel against its critics and his “natural connection to Israel’s heritage…and the peace treaty with Egypt.”

“Above all, during these days, we remember Begin for his bold decision to eliminate Iraq’s nuclear capability, despite US opposition to the move,” Netanyahu said. “It was an outgrowth of Jabotinsky’s ‘Iron Wall’ theory that we implemented in countless operations against Iran and its nuclear program which to this day have prevented it from acquiring nuclear weapons that it thought it would acquire many years ago.”

“But today, in the Bennett-Gantz-Lapid government there is only weakness, weakness, and more weakness. They bowed their heads before the US administration when they agreed to a ‘zero surprises’ policy. This means that Israel will not act against Iran’s nuclear program without prior coordination with the Americans, who will, of course, oppose such actions, and may also endanger them with early leaks.”

“Bennett, Lapid, and Gantz once again bowed their heads to the US when they promised not to publicly attack the US administration’s policy of weakness on the nuclear issue. In doing so, they silenced Israel’s cry against an agreement that is paving the way for Iran to acquire nuclear weapons aimed at destroying us.”

“Bennett, Lapid, and Gantz are not willing to confront even our allies – as Begin did, and as we did in a speech to the US Congress in 2015, and in countless other public platforms in Israel and around the world. Bennett, Lapid, and Gantz are doing nothing in the face of this dangerous agreement that is being formed right now in Vienna.”

In veiled criticism of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett for flying to Moscow to meet with Putin, Netanyahu continued, “It is this [the Iran deal], and this before anything else, that the government must deal with now – to vehemently oppose this dangerous deal.”

“Israel’s silence during these days, apart from a few meaningless statements in order to appear responsible, takes the wind out of the sails of those of our friends in the United States who oppose the agreement. If they don’t see or hear Israel’s opposition, why should they persist in their opposition? Why should they cancel the agreement later? Our stubborn opposition helped the United States abandon the previous agreement even after it signed it.”

“The current government’s silence also undermines the legitimacy of our future action against Iran’s nuclear facilities, because they’ll tell us then: ‘If Israel was silent then, what do you mean you suddenly remember now?'”

“Begin said during his time: ‘A large clock is standing above us, and it is ticking. The significance of Iraq producing nuclear weapons is a danger to every man and woman in the State of Israel. Saddam Hussein will not hesitate to use weapons of mass destruction against us.'”

“Replace the words ‘Iraq’ with ‘Iran,’ ‘Saddam Hussein’ with ‘Khamenei,’ and you will understand what we are facing now,” Netanyahu stressed.

“Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s representative in the negotiations for the nuclear deal, said this week: ‘The Iranians have received much more than they asked for. They fight like lions, for every word, for every comma.'”

“And what is happening to us? No one is fighting. The Iranians are fighting like lions, Bennett, Lapid and Gantz are surrendering like rabbits.”

“The reality is bleak and clear – the current government is reconciling with a nuclear Iran and thus endangering the future of Israel. On this day when we remember Menachem Begin and his struggle for our existence, we say: Enough of this dangerous submissive government.”

“We will act in every way to replace it with a government that fights vigorously for the future of the State of Israel and the future of Am Israel,” Netanyahu concluded.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)