(Institute for National Security Studies-Tel Aviv University) Ephraim Kam - Following the April 2, 2015, statement on parameters toward a comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, the Israeli government announced its demand that the final agreement include Iran's recognition of Israel. President Obama was quick to reject the condition, seeing little chance of Iran accepting it and worrying that an attempt to place it on the agenda would threaten the formulation of a final agreement. The eradication of Israel and the liberation of Jerusalem are an integral part of the Islamic movement, stemming from the founding principles of the revolution and, indeed, Islam itself. Recognition of Israel would thus be tantamount to destroying one of the pillars of the Iranian regime. Yet this does not mean that there was no point in Israel raising the issue. On the contrary, correct diplomacy must stress the connection between the radical fundamentalist regime in Iran, with its public calls for the destruction of the State of Israel, and Iran's possession of nuclear weapons. The writer, a senior research fellow at INSS, served as a colonel in the Research Division of IDF Military Intelligence.
2015-04-14 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive