°®Âþµº

Netanyahu urges AIPAC to push for US-Israel axis against Iran

Netanyahu urges AIPAC to push for US-Israel axis against Iran
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lobbied for a US-Israel alliance against Iran during a call with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
2 min read
10 January, 2023
Benjamin Netanyahu has urged for a US-Israel alliance against Iran [MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin NetanyahuÌýon Monday urged the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) to strengthen US-Israeli cooperation against Iran.Ìý

AIPAC is the largest pro-Israel lobby group in the United States, and increasingly supports extremist Israeli policies against the Palestinians.ÌýIt has also been accused of promoting far-right policies in the United States, and has endorsed candidates who have expressed views against the rights of women, LGBTQ+ people, and marginalised groups.Ìý

During a video call with senior AIPACÌýmembers, Netanyahu stressed the importance of a US-Israel alignment against Iran.Ìý

"The time has come for Israel and the United States, along with other countries, to stand together," he said, according to Haaretz.

He said that "the whole world sees what we said [about Iran] – that this is a terrible regime, depressive and terroristic", in reference to the anti-government protests currently rocking Iran.Ìý

He added that he would increase his public opposition to a nuclear agreement between Iran and Western powers.Ìý

He is also in favour of normalising ties with moreÌýArab countries, after the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan all agreed to establish ties with Israel since 2020.

In-depth
Live Story

He has reportedly reached out in recent weeks to Saudi Arabia, a longtime adversary of Iran, in an attempt to improve relations between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.

Netanyahu returned to power in Israel at the helm of a right-wing extremist government last month, after spending a year in opposition.

His government includes controversial figures such as Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, both of whom have called for Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank.Ìý

Ìý