Mossad Chief Calls Emerging Iran Deal “Strategic Disaster” for Israel

By Zalman Ahnsaf

YERUSHALAYIM – In an unusually blunt expression of Israeli opposition to the emerging revival of the Iran nuclear deal, Mossad director David Barnea was quoted throughout media reports on Thursday night saying that the U.S. “is rushing into an accord that is a lie.”

Barnea reportedly called the deal now on the table “very bad for Israel” and “a strategic disaster” but that the signing of it is inevitable “in light of the needs of the U.S. and Iran.”

The unsourced comments were publicized after Barnea met with Prime Minister Yair Lapid in the latter’s office, where he warned against it. A press release from the Prime Minister’s Office acknowledged the meeting to discuss Iran but made no mention of its substance.

The Mossad chief’s comments were in dramatic contrast to a statement made by Lapid earlier on Thursday claiming that “the Americans accepted a large part of the things that we wanted them to include in the drafts. It is a welcome change, and the dialogue with them is good and we will continue it,” said Lapid at a Yesh Atid faction meeting.

But Barnea was quoted as saying that “the American willingness to sign the agreement goes against common sense. The agreement will be bad even if the U.S. accepts some of our comments.”

In particular, he warned that, according to the information Israel has received, it will extend the breakout time for the building of an atomic weapon from one month to two. And in the meantime, as sanctions are lifted, Iran will receive billions of dollars for the funding of terrorism in the region.