Prime Minister Yair Lapid claimed during the weekly Cabinet meeting Sunday that the government's policy of raising its concerns over the Iran nuclear deal without picking public fights with the Biden Administration is working.
"Despite the elections, and despite the summer and the [upcoming] holidays, this government is hard at work. Together with Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Alternate Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and the security establishment, we are carrying out an intensive campaign, the goal of which is to prevent the signing of a dangerous nuclear agreement between Iran and the major powers," Gantz said.
"Following my conversation with President Biden last Wednesday, the Mossad Director is leaving for Washington tomorrow for a series of meetings intended to convey our position to the American administration about the dangers embodied in the agreement.
"To those who say we are not shouting loud enough, or are not outspoken enough, I recall what really happened in the past: In 2015, when Israel insisted on an unnecessary confrontation with the administration, it was a complete failure. The Americans simply stopped listening to us. It damaged our relationship with them, and they went and signed a bad agreement.
"The correct policy is the one we have led over the past year: To continue the pressure but without going too far. To present credible intelligence, to be part of the process without destroying our special relationship with the US.
"I say this cautiously but in the meantime, it is working. The reservations that we have presented to the American administration have been taken into account. We have also spoken with our other partners. Demands have been made of the Iranians. It is not possible to discuss everything but neither does everything need to be fodder for squabbles and speeches. There is another way and it works better," Lapid said,
"On another security front: In recent weeks, the IDF and ISA have been active throughout the West Bank, mainly in the Jenin and Nablus districts, in order to thwart terrorist activity on Israeli territory. Our goal is to calm things down, not to escalate the confrontations.
"We will continue with the policy that says: We will respond with a heavy hand – including socio-economically – against places from which terrorism originates. In places where quiet is maintained, we will make every effort to enable routine and to advance the Palestinian economy.
"At the same time, as was agreed upon with the Defense Minister and the Alternate Prime Minister, Israel will positively consider increasing the number of workers who will be allowed to leave Gaza to 20,000, but it will end there. Every additional increase in the number of workers will be contingent on returning home our boys being held in Gaza.
"On another, much happier, matter: The school year opened as usual last week. Today, the Cabinet will receive a comprehensive briefing on the school year and the reforms that we are leading in the education system.
"I thank Education Minister Dr. Yifat Shasha-Biton, Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman and Teachers Union Secretary General Yaffa Ben-David for their major organizational effort and long sleepless nights that led to more than two million pupils starting the year on time, with a new wage agreement that will provide us with respite from strikes until 2027," the prime minister concluded.
