Israel has been conducting an intense diplomatic offensive in recent months to try to convince the United States and main European powers such as Britain, France and Germany not to renew the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, a deadline that Lapid has tried to use to push the West to impose a tougher approach in their negotiations. The only way to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon is to put a credible military threat on the table, Lapid said in a speech at the UN General Assembly.
The international community should use military force if Iran develops nuclear weapons, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid told the United Nations on Thursday, as he reiterated support for creation of a “peaceful” Palestinian state.
Israel has been trying hard to convince the United States and other European countries not to renew the nuclear deal with Iran that was made in 2015.
In the past 10 days, various officials have said that the deal might not be renewed until at least mid-November. This is a deadline that Lapid has tried to use to get the West to be tougher in their negotiations.
Lapid said that the only way to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon is to make it clear that there is a military consequence if they do.
It needs to be made clear to Iran that if it advances its nuclear program, the world will not respond with just words, but with military force as well.
Lapid said that the leaders in Tehran are leading a ‘hate orchestra’ against Jews and that they also hate and kill Muslims who think differently. He said this is proven by the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who was arrested and killed by Iran’s morality police. This has caused widespread protests within the Muslim community.
He said that an agreement with the Palestinians, based on two states for two peoples, is the right thing for Israel’s security, for Israel’s economy and for the future of our children, even though there are some obstacles.
We only have one condition for a future Palestinian state: that it is peaceful.
Biden said that he still supports the idea of a Palestinian state, but he didn’t say if he has any new plans to try to make that happen.
The government’s current plan is to help the Palestinian economy, without starting a peace process with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas, who is going to speak at the United Nations Friday.
Since 1967, Israel has been occupying East Jerusalem and the West Bank. In 2007, they imposed a blockade on Gaza Strip, which is a Palestinian territory controlled by Hamas Islamists.
Lapid told Palestinians to stop fighting and show that Hamas and Islamic Jihad will not win control of the Palestinian state.
Elvira Olson is a news reporter for the ABC News affiliate in Los Angeles. She has more than 20 years of experience in journalism and has won numerous awards for her work, including an Emmy.