Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen predicted in an interview with Arutz Sheva on Monday that Israel will succeed in influencing the US administration and making it understand that it would not be appropriate for it to return to the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran.
"Israel has explicitly said that it will not allow Iran to establish itself on its northern border and will not allow the country to arm itself with nuclear weapons. A nuclear Iran is not just a problem of Israel, but a problem of regional stability and the world at large," he said.
"Under the Obama administration, we saw a self-deprecation before Iran that has not led to any achievements. In the last four years, when we saw the repeal of nuclear agreements and the imposition of sanctions, we also saw a change in the Middle East and saw peace agreements. The United States is our ally and understands the danger that is inherent in an extremist government that is the top financier of terrorism in the world. The Americans have already said that their every step in the matter will be in consultation with Israel and with other countries in the region," added Minister Cohen.
On the issue of the coronavirus, he commented on his statement last week that the Prime Minister's political rivals would be happy to see him fail to address the crisis. "I have not heard them offer an alternative and I have not heard them welcome the vaccination campaign and call on people to get vaccinated. Therefore, their only way to change their political situation is when we fail. But we have no intention of failing. The State of Israel will be the first to defeat the coronavirus crisis. While Europe has been talking about a months-long lockdown, we see the light at the end of the tunnel and are really close to reaching a massive vaccination of the population."
According to Minister Cohen, significant relief will be felt as early as Passover and Israelis will be able to celebrate with their extended families. "We are at a good pace and Passover is a sensible goal. Currently, more than 80% of those aged 60 and over have been vaccinated. I call on everyone to get vaccinated. This is not a political issue, but a matter that is important to all of us and essential to opening the economy."
Asked whether the Likud is aiming to form a right-wing government and whether it could pivot towards another government at the last moment, Minister Cohen replied, "We want to form a right-wing government. The government we had between 2015 and 2019 was stable and led to many achievements. I hope we can do that and that is what we are striving for."
Cohen said he believes that Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope party will not be a partner in such a right-wing government. "Gideon Sa’ar does not respect democracy and ties his fate to Lapid. The question in the upcoming elections is who will lead - and between Netanyahu and Lapid - the answer is clear to me."
He was asked about his party's criticism of members of the Otzma Yehudit party, even though Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was the one who pressured them to join forces with Bezalel Smotrich in order to prevent a loss of votes and refrained from saying - like others in the Likud have said - that Ben Gvir could not be a coalition partner.
"Itamar Ben Gvir is not in the plans to be a minister in the government. I hear the hypocrisy in the voices of those who talk about Ben Gvir but have no problem forming a government with the support of the Joint List that opposes the existence of a Jewish and democratic state of Israel. Ignoring the contemptuous remarks made by a Labor candidate is fine as far as they’re concerned. I say honestly, they will not preach morality to us. We know our path that includes the Land of Israel, the tradition of Israel and the strengthening of the state as we have proven and we will continue to prove," he concluded.