Opinion  Ron Ben-Yishai
A better deal than we expected
Ron Ben-Yishai
Published: 03.04.15, 01:08
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20 Talkbacks for this article
1. related to oil?
Calabi ,   Sydney Aust   (04.03.15)
Better?.........all Iranian oil must goes through Kerry? What a shame that the USA can be so blind and naïve. May God bless Israel & Jerusalem
2. Such pretty flags
ASTRONAUT ,   SC, USA   (04.03.15)
Such pretty flags representing the "participating bodies" of Iran Agreement with the glaring EXCEPTION of the Magen David. Watch your backs, Chaverim.... Am Yisrael Chai!
3. seems promising, but let's see what the real experts say...
Rafi ,   US   (04.03.15)
So far it's not clear that there is that much substance on which to pass judgement...
4. You are iresponsible to the point of
DT ,   TA Ỉael   (04.03.15)
insanity.
5. AN AGREEMENT FUL OF HOLES.
bob k ,   orlando fl usa   (04.03.15)
Mr. Ben-Yishai lists the many severe flaws in this interim agreement; For example, the Fordow facility remains open, well-protected and containing advanced centrifuges. The lifting of sanctions will be faster than hoped for. Will the 'dam' simply break as most nations abandon sanctions? The Iranians aren't trustworthy says Ben-Yishai.. The development of long-range missiles can continue. Despite all these loopholes / weaknesses in the deal, Ben- Yishai says' Obama is offering Netanyahu an olive branch' and Bibi should gladly grab it. This deal is not about the Obama-Netanyahu relationship which can never improve because Obama will never hold the PA accountable for their incitement to terror, their 'reconciliation' with hamas, the 'war crimes' charges and the total rejectionism of the PA. Netanyahu can see all the faults listed by Ben-Yishai but without rose-tinted glasses. The main issue is whether this framework agreement represents a danger that Israel cannot ignore since Iran calls for Israel's destruction and Iranian missiles can reach Israel now. The P5+1 group don't face those threats hence for them this deal is OK. No 'olive branch' can disguise hat. The western nuclear nations could have given Iran an ultimatum: destroy your centrifuges or render them inoperable, stop all enrichment or else we will destroy them Problem is neither Obama, nor UK or France want to attack Iran. A Republican government is more likely to attack to keep America safe. Thus these 'powerful nuclear nations were weak against Iran's demands. That is the truth Netanyahu, Steinitz, Eisenkott and others in Israel can see. And that means Israel is on its own unless a Republican government, with no contrary agenda issues like Iraq, comes along. Even then, who knows.. Israel does not want to miss its only opportunity to strike Iran while it still can ,, its too risky hoping others will protect Israel, it could easily not happen. Not as good a deal from that perspective. Ben-Yishai also claims that a 10 year agreement is better than attacking and destroying Iran's nuclear facilities. Is he an expert? Destroying or severely damaging Iran's nuclear facilities would slow Iran down a lot and cost them a great deal of money.
6. It appears this article was written for April Fools Day,
Jake   (04.03.15)
But missed the cut for joke quality.
7. are you serious?
Marcelo ,   TLV   (04.03.15)
this is BS!! if the Ayatholas could bring weapons to hamas and hizbullah with economic sanctions, what would they do without them? EU and Obuma sapiens have just thrown Israel under the bus for the sake of their hate and oil. Period. Israel will face more powerful wars against her...Chag Sameach!
8. How about IAEA autority to question Iranian scientists?
Alan ,   Canada   (04.03.15)
The released clauses of the planned agreement do not include the right for the UN agency inspectors to interview nuclear scientists officially involved in the nuclear program as well as the university professors doing research in a more hidden manner. Iran never allowed the UN to talk to them. Nor is there a clause to prevent the transfer of the research out of the domain inspected by the UN such as North Korea (or Syria, when things settle down under the surviving rule of Bashir Assad with whom the US wants to negotiate. Did not Iran & North Korea build a nuclear plant in Syria?). The most serious defect of the agreement is of course that none of the centrifuge machines ( including the high performance ones) are being destroyed. Can anyone believe that a regime as fanatic as the regime of the Ayatollahs will ever give up its long term objectives? And having escaped much more stringent restrictions & going to be relieved of economic sanctions, is not this going to extend the life of the regime well beyond the 10 to 15 year duration of the agreement? The Iranian propaganda will reinforce the image of the regime & its influence on the people by presenting the agreement as a victory. The Iranians will soon nibble at the restrictions knowing very well that contrary to what the US just said, sanctions cannot be "snapped back" once relieved. One has to remember how difficult & time consuming was the initial set-up of the economic sanctions often breached by Russia, China & others. Had the agreement been a tough one, the image of the regime politically on its knees would have encouraged internal resistance as nothing destabilises more a dictatorship than a defeat that demonstrates its weakness. But in Washington they believe that trying to involve a dictatorship into the life of the democratic community of countries is the way to turn it around. Well, it seems that even rewarding Iran with de facto control of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon does not soften it stance in Yemen, not to speak in regard to Israel..
9. A Win Win Deal
Maalik Fahd Kayondo ,   Uganda   (04.03.15)
Ron Ben-Yishai, this is a wonderful article. Indeed Israel has achieved more than it could get in a senseless war, which of-course it would not win (Iran is not Palestine). But again, the whole marathon nuclear negotiations have been built on deceit. All major intelligence agencies in the region confirm that; Iran has never took a decision to make a nuclear bomb!
10. Wow, I feel better now knowing President Obama has our backs
David ,   Haifa   (04.03.15)
I wonder if Ron Ben-Yishai works for one of the groups that Mr. Obama has actively working against our government? Churning out this kind of propaganda as if the Israeli people didn't have brains.
11. So Iran now has approval to get a nuclear bomb in a decade
Scott ,   Ramat Gan   (04.03.15)
This is a terrible deal which gives Iran a kashrut certificate for a nuclear bomb. They just have to wait 10 years. They argument that Iran could've gotten nuclear weapons sooner even if there were military strike is b.s.. While Israel may lack the bunker buster bombs to penetrate Fordow, the US certainly has them.
12. Five Decades Forward
Zechariah   (04.03.15)
By 2065 the Israelis -Jewish Arab and International will need to build massive underground cities have fleets of escape submarines and develop Space Stations to deter pyschosuicidal attacks on the Holy Land from anywhere .Thats the defensive part .Trophy like missile shields Thad Lasers and Overwhelming Deterrant Capacity
13. Iran Deal
Gene Graczyk ,   Santa Rosa CA USA   (04.03.15)
Sorry #1 but you are wrong. Sanctions are not lifted immediately. Nuclear related sanctions can be over time but if Iran fails to keep the deal, they immediately snap back in. Sanctions levied by the US because of terrorist activity and abuse of civil rights are not part of the deal. It is a very well-structured deal and may get even better by June. BTW, if Bibi the Liar decides to bomb on his own, the IDF has said it will be ineffective and cause a bitter war against Israel. And no one, even the USwhich you so despise, will help you.
14. Ron is becoming a trusted Obama spokesman
Steve Benassi ,   Silver Bay, MN USA   (04.03.15)
15. This better deal that Ron is so proud of is very bad
Steve Benassi ,   Silver Bay, MN USA   (04.03.15)
16. Obama said: Iran is two to three months from a nuclear bomb
CJK   (04.03.15)
allegedly, after the deal, iran will be one year at most from a nuclear bomb. in the meantime, iran will have sanctions lifted. iran will become a rich country with the means to buy huge quantities of conventional weapons with which to terrorise and wage proxy wars. so why is any decent rational person celebrating this awful deal. by the way, there will be no snap inspections.
17. Iran can not be trusted - I Quote -
Arn. ,   Sweden.   (04.03.15)
" No agreement, however good, can help against the daily deceit the Iranians displayed throughout the talks and continue displaying even today ". Another obstacle to the success of the deal is Tehran's penchant for finding creative ways to bypass restrictions, as it had in the past. Comment - Exactly !. Further - We could not have achieved a better outcome even if Israel, the United States, and other countries had carried out military strikes on the nuclear sites in Iran. Even if the attack had been successful, the delay caused to the Iranian nuclear weapon program would have been shorter than 10 years. Comment - to leave Iran with the possibility to cheat, is no good deal and then the Military strike becomes nessesarry , hence, the military strike is the only option. Arn.Sweden.
18. how op-ed people know so much
Jake ,   Jerusalem   (04.03.15)
How do people who write the op-ed's know so much more than the slobs who run the government and intelligence agencies???? Maybe they should run our lives and not the people who we elect? After all what do we know?
19. Washington lying on sanctions agreement
Alan ,   Canada   (04.04.15)
Washington quickly claimed success on the end of negotiations in Lausanne & stated that the agreement involved the progressive removal of sanctions over time, not the immediate complete relief. There was an immediate denial on Tweeter of the Iranian foreign minister. And the French foreign minister in an interview later confirmed that the Iranians had not agreed to progressive removal. And there are other significant clauses the Iranians have not agreed. They are going to nibble away at the projected agreement with a good probability of success given the deliberate position of weakness adopted by the US.
20. Iran's nukes must be destroyed. Period.
Chaim ,   Israel   (04.04.15)
The deal is the sack of B.S. we fully expected. Iran's nukes must be destroyed. Period. By whatever means are necessary.
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