JERUSALEM, Israel – On the day before the start of the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, Israelis are preparing to celebrate Passover, the holiday of the ancient Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt.
At the same time, concern is growing about when and what kind of an Iranian nuclear deal could be made that would bring security.
The talks begin this weekend as a new report warns that Iran’s nuclear threat is now extreme. Entitled The Iranian Threat Geiger Counter: Extreme Danger Grows, the Institute for Science and International Security wrote:
“The threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program has worsened significantly. Major negative factors include Iran’s greater nuclear weapon capabilities, the shorter time frames to build nuclear weapons, and the growing normalization of internal Iranian discussions favoring building nuclear weapons.”
President Donald Trump already warned Iran that it has only about two months to come to a deal, or it will face military strikes.
“We have little time, but we don’t have much time because we’re not going to let them have a nuclear weapon – can’t let them,” he said.
Yet, The Jerusalem Post’s Yonah Bob writes, “There is a real danger that Trump could agree to a mediocre nuclear deal with Iran,” according to multiple sources contacted by the Post.
Israelis worry the extremely sophisticated Iranians will stall for time, which may be all they need to finish developing such weapons and prepare to repel any attack to destroy the nuclear facilities.
Warning that Israeli national security is on the line, Former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren wrote, “The Iranians are world class negotiators and will certainly seek to drag them out long enough to allow Russia to rebuild and improve the defenses destroyed by the Israeli Air Force.”
Oren’s concern is that the White House could agree to a deal that allows the Iranians to “once again keep their nuclear facilities and centrifuges intact.”
With Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian spearheading the rhetoric, the Iranians are talking a good game.
“We will provide whatever guarantee necessary to prove we are not seeking a nuclear bomb,” Pezeshkian stated.
However, Axios reports that stalling does appear to be the Iranian scheme, writing, “Iran is considering proposing during talks with the U.S. that the two countries work on an interim nuclear agreement before pursuing negotiation over a comprehensive deal.”
Trump has moved a massive amount of American military power into the Middle East, providing muscle to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities. The Iranians are trying to neutralize that threat.
YNet News reports, “An advisor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, threatened on Thursday afternoon that Tehran might cease its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and expel its inspectors if the threat of military action against Iran continues.”
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Regarding the Palestinians, reports indicate that the Palestinian Authority is still paying terrorists who have killed Israelis.
The P.A. has insisted it stopped the infamous “pay to slay” program, but the watchdog group Palestinian Media Watch writes, “The Palestinian Authority announced yesterday that it is paying February’s monthly ‘allowances’ today.”
One Palestinian publication admitted these allowances are specifically for “martyrs, prisoners, and the wounded.”
Israeli Government Spokesman David Mencer noted that the Middle East developments are occurring as Jews in Israel and around the world are preparing for Passover, also known as the “Festival of Freedom,” the time when Moses cried out to Pharaoh, “Let my people go!”
Mencer declared, “Today, that cry is not just an ancient piece of history, it’s our urgent, living plea for the 59 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza.”
Both White House and Israeli sources tell The Jerusalem Post it appears a new deal is close to getting the remaining living hostages freed.
“We want to get those 24 out really fast, and we’re working on it very hard,” Trump revealed.
This comes after some former hostages came to Washington to praise Trump for getting them released.
Mencer addressed the hostage issue, saying, “Israel’s mission is clear: to bring them all home. Israel’s government is working day and night to make that happen. President Trump acknowledged this publicly.”
