Netanyahu: Israel now faces double threat from Iran and ISIS

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that “Israel now faces two threats: that of ISIS – and that of Iran.”

He added in a statement issued yesterday, a copy of which was obtained by Anadolu news agency, that “We need not strengthen one at the expense of the other. We need to weaken both and prevent the aggression and arming of both”.

Netanyahu also stated that “Up until several months ago, when we said that ISIS was carrying out actions on our borders, people were sceptical. And here we see before our very eyes ISIS operating with unusual brutality on both our northern and southern borders,” he said, referring to the northern border with Syria and the southern border with Sinai.

The Israeli prime minister also added that “the actions that we have seen from ISIS are nothing compared to the capabilities being built by the Iranian regime.”

He pointed out that although “nobody in their right mind would give ISIS nuclear weapons,” but that “in the major powers’ current talks with Iran they are giving it… the ability to develop an arsenal of nuclear weapons, of very many nuclear bombs along with the means to deliver them – long-range missiles.”

Israel is opposed to current international efforts, led by the US, aiming to reach a settlement with Iran regarding its nuclear programme. This settlement stipulates the dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear reactors. Israel has also opposed any decision to lift the crippling sanctions currently imposed on Tehran.