Despite staunch opposition by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet, wider public opinion in Israel seems ready to give the Iran deal a chance
But in Israel, the only major newspaper to carry a front-page story against the agreement was the Sheldon Adelson-owned Israel Hayom, a paper strongly aligned with Netanyahu. Israel Hayom’s headline for that story — “Agreement With Iran—Historic Mistake” — stood in stark contrast to the tone of others on the newsstand.
“The time has come to stop fantasizing and to connect with reality: Israel does not have a military option to destroy the Iranian nuclear program,” wrote Nahum Barnea, one of Israel’s most popular columnists in the widely read Hebrew-language Yediot Ahronot.
“Under these circumstances, the details of the agreement that were reported yesterday are surprisingly good.”
In the English-language Jerusalem Post, columnist Yossi Melman took a similar position, arguing, “The deal currently being consolidated in Switzerland … even if not ideal, certainly does not belong in the category of ‘sword at the throat.’”
Meanwhile in Haaretz, a left-leaning publication, diplomatic correspondent Barak Ravid wrote that “Israel will have a hard time fighting this agreement, or portraying it as bad; if Iran upholds the terms, its nuclear threat will be severely mitigated.”
For many Israelis, who had gone to sleep with only vague stories of an agreement, Friday was the first chance to review the details of what could become a lasting deal over Iran’s nuclear program.
“I was kind of tired when I read about the deal last night, but when I woke up this morning and went over the details, I don’t know… it sounds like it could be an OK thing that could avoid us going to war,” said Shulamit Avner, 31, a tax attorney from the northern city of Haifa.
“None of us want more war. We are exhausted from war and the idea of a war with Iran is this scary huge thing that’s been looming over us for years.”
Avner, who shopped with several friends for last-minute ingredients for her Passover Seder Friday, said she was happy the deal was coming just as Israel entered the holiday.
“I remember a couple years ago, also during Passover, I was so scared that we were about to go to Iran that I rushed out to get a gas mask before the holiday started. I was afraid the war would start while everyone was closed for the holiday — can you believe that?” said Avner. “But we’ve been living like that for a long time, people telling us Israeli airstrikes might hit Iran, and then Iran would retaliate, and a long gruesome war would start.”
Sarah Mizrachi, who works with Avner, said that while “no one wants to see Iran get a nuclear bomb, it’s better to solve things with talking than with bombs.”
“I’m worried when Netanyahu says that this deal is bad and that Iran can sneak around and get a bomb, of course I’m worried. But I trust the Mossad and our intelligence to catch the Iranians before they do anything. And I really hope they stick to this deal and just forget the idea of getting a nuclear bomb,” said Mizrachi. “Really no one should have those things anymore, even us
