Yair Golan was deputy chief of the general staff of the Israeli army until 2017. In uniform, he silently lamented that the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, opposed the agreement on the Iranian nuclear power in 2015. Elected to Parliament in 2019 for the left-wing Meretz party, he criticizes Israel’s opposition to the relaunch of negotiations by Washington.
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In 2015, what did you think of the nuclear deal?
When the agreement was signed, we, the senior military, intelligence, Mossad, read and reviewed it in detail, and we concluded that it was reasonable. It was not the best it could be, because it was not imposed on a defeated nation. Americans had to make compromises to maintain a united coalition [avec les autres signataires : Russie, Chine, France, Royaume-Uni et Allemagne]. We felt that we had to accept it with satisfaction, and work with the Americans and others to define the framework for the next agreement. This “deal” saved us time. He eased the pressure on Israel. After a few months, we saw that the Iranians were fulfilling their commitments.
Was this opinion shared by the senior security hierarchy?
By most of us. The then chief of staff, Gadi Eizenkot, and Mossad boss Tamir Pardo believed and still believe he was good for Israel. Mr. Netanyahu continued to oppose it, but what good is it? The deal was done.
What about a secret dimension of the nuclear program?
Iranians do not hesitate to cheat when it suits them. You need good inspections – and the agreement had limits on that. It takes great information to make sure they don’t have any hidden plans. You need to be prepared for certain violations and have your military capabilities ready. But the deal brought the Iranian project back to a very preliminary stage, and it has been more effective than any other measure we’ve attempted since the early 2000s.
The revelation by Israel of its possession of archives of the Iranian program in 2018 nevertheless helped to decide Donald Trump to withdraw the United States from the agreement …
Their seizure was a great success, but they brought little new information. Mr. Netanyahu made a spectacle of it because it served him politically. Most Israelis don’t have a clue about the Iranian project. For a politician, this is paradise! You can do whatever you want with it. I believe that if the problem with Iran were frozen thanks to an agreement, it would be politically terrible for Mr. Netanyahu. Because he unites his supporters by claiming that someone is going to destroy us, just like the Nazis, and that only he can save them from this horrible future.
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