Hebrew media outlets directed criticism at the head of the occupation government, Benjamin Netanyahu, following his interview with the American network “CBS”, which was broadcast in its entirety yesterday, Sunday.
In this context, the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz said that Netanyahu tried to formulate the threats directed at Israel according to his own vision, while ignoring the violations and policies of his extreme right-wing coalition.
The newspaper said that Netanyahu’s statements on the “60 Minutes” program reflected a contradiction in his speech, as the Beirut government – according to his narrative – had become a “victim” of Hezbollah and Iran, after he had accused it for decades of being responsible for attacks against Israel.
She added that when Netanyahu was asked about the growing criticism within the United States towards Israel, he blamed other parties, claiming that halting American aid to Israel was his “personal dream,” rather than dealing with the matter as a controversial issue within American public opinion.
Netanyahu added, in his remarks, that Israel had achieved great accomplishments in the military confrontation with Iran, but he stressed at the same time that “the mission is not yet complete.”
In contrast, the official Hebrew radio station reported that such statements would “make matters worse” in the American street, where the view that this is essentially Netanyahu’s war, and not the United States’ war, is growing.
In the interview, Netanyahu also pointed out that Iran still possesses nuclear materials, enriched uranium, and enrichment facilities, which he said must be dismantled, along with its continued support for what he described as regional proxies and its pursuit of developing ballistic missile capabilities.
Regarding the possibility of toppling the Iranian regime, Netanyahu clarified that he had not informed US President Donald Trump that this was “guaranteed,” but stressed that inaction against Iran carries greater risks than taking action.
Hebrew radio: Netanyahu's statements "make matters worse" in the American street, where the view that this war with Iran is essentially their war, and not the United States' war, is gaining traction.
It is noted that the head of the Mossad had spoken via Zoom with the US president before the war, where he sought – according to media reports – to propose a plan related to overthrowing the regime in Iran, a plan that was described by the political analyst on Channel 13, Raviv Drucker, in an article published in the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz, as “childish.”
Netanyahu added that the issue of the Strait of Hormuz emerged later as events unfolded, while denying that he had predicted or planned all of these developments in advance.
Nevertheless, Netanyahu also expressed his belief that “the days of the Iranian regime are numbered,” without specifying a timeframe for the war, saying that he does not expect it to last for years or even for many months.
He also made sure to highlight what he described as the achievements made since the October 7, 2023 attack, particularly on the Iranian scene.
Speaking about the relationship with Washington, Netanyahu said that Trump had told him of his desire to “go into Iran,” adding that removing enriched uranium from Iranian territory could be practically implemented, and that if this were done within an agreement, it would be “the best possible solution.”
Regarding the confrontation with Hezbollah, Netanyahu stressed the need to separate it from the war with Iran, declaring his rejection of the idea of a ceasefire on both fronts simultaneously.
He added that weakening or overthrowing the Iranian regime, as he put it, would lead to the end of Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthi group.
Netanyahu stressed the need to separate the confrontation with Hezbollah from the war with Iran, declaring his rejection of the idea of a ceasefire on both fronts simultaneously.
Regarding the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu acknowledged that the Strip has not been completely disarmed and that Hamas has not yet been dismantled, but he accused the movement of violating what he called the “20-point agreement,” stressing that Israel will choose the appropriate time and circumstances to impose disarmament if international forces fail to do so.
Netanyahu also accused China of providing what he described as assistance to Iran in the field of missile production, without providing further details about the nature or extent of this assistance.
Regarding Russia, Netanyahu said it does not provide large-scale direct military support to Tehran, avoiding comment on the possibility of intelligence support.
When asked about the decline in public support for Israel within the United States, Netanyahu blamed social media, claiming that Israel is under a “propaganda siege,” and suggesting that some countries, according to him, are manipulating social media to harm Israel.
In another context, Netanyahu revealed that there is a desire among Arab countries, which he did not name, to expand cooperation with Israel, noting that the level of cooperation in the fields of economy, technology, energy and artificial intelligence has become, according to him, stronger than it was before the war.
Reports indicated that the interview was recorded at the home of American businessman Simon Falik in occupied Jerusalem, where Netanyahu spends a significant portion of his time.
