Secretary Antony Blinken on Tuesday met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, his first visit as U.S. Secretary of State. During the meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his gratitude to the United States for "firmly supporting Israel's right of self-defense," but warned Sec. Blinken that if America renews its nuclear deal with Iran, the Iran-backed Hamas may continue acts of terrorism against Israel and its citizens.
"I hope that the United States will not go back to the old JCPOA because we believe that that deal paves the way for Iran to have an arsenal of nuclear weapons with international legitimacy," Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu said in a statement. "We also reiterated that whatever happens, Israel will always reserve the right to defend itself against a regime committed to our destruction, committed to getting the weapons of mass destruction for that end."
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA is a nuclear deal between Iran and the United Nation's five permanent members plus Germany or P5+1, namely the U.S., U.K, France, Russia, and China. Under the deal, Iran's stockpile of medium-enriched uranium is heavily regulated. In April, several senators urged the Biden administration to halt JCPOA negotiations with Iran in the midst of the brewing conflict in Israel, saying that the U.S. must not "enrich Israel's enemies."
The most recent attacks against Israel that resulted in hundreds hurt and displaced were sparked by the Hamas militant group that is funded by Iran. Hamas fired over 4,000 rockets out of the Gaza Strip and into Israel, which defended itself using the Iron Dome, a defense technology developed by both U.S. and Israeli firms. Following the 11-day conflict that involved air and ground attacks, the Hamas militant group announced their gratitude towards Iran for their support of what the U.S. recognizes as a terrorist group.
"I cannot but thank those who brought forth money and weaponry to the valiant resistance, the Islamic Republic of Iran; who did not hold back with money, weapons and technical support," Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a clip aired by Iran's Press TV, as reported by Israel Hayom. Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu hit back, commenting that "It says everything on the true patron of terror in the Middle East in the world-Iran."
The Israeli Prime Minister isn't alone in condemning Iran for their support of the Hamas militant group. In the U.S. senators and leaders such as the former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer are condemning the Iran nuclear deal.
"Iran is stirring the pot in Iraq, in Syria, in Lebanon, in Yemen, in Gaza. That's all of Iran's terror proxies in the region which is another reason why what's going on in Gaza, we shouldn't lose sight of who the big enemy is-Iran," Dermer told CBN News.
Dermer, who was an Israeli ambassador under the Bush administration, hopes that the Biden administration would withdraw itself from the "dangerous nuclear deal with Iran" and instead would "continue to keep the pressure on that Iranian regime that represents a threat to us."
