Israel’s Former National Security Advisor: “Trump Will Not Want To Leave This Event as a Clown”

Maj. Gen. (ret.) Yaakov Amidror, former head of the National Security Council, commented on the agreement to extend the ceasefire between Iran and the United States, noting that a return to fighting after the 60-day ceasefire is something that can certainly be possible. Also: What are Israel’s interests in the negotiations?

“The Americans and the Iranians are apparently not finished. I say ostensibly because it depends on who leaks from the negotiations. If there is an agreement, then there will be a very long temporary break because they give themselves 60 days of negotiations. From my acquaintance with the Iranians, they will not be quick to make the concessions that President Trump demands of them. America will have to decide what it will do after these 60 days,” Amidror clarified.

Regarding the return to fighting, the former head of the National Security Council explained: “As long as the American army is here, it’s a matter of decision, the American army doesn’t have to call up the reserves, the American army will move the ships from here to there and bring them back. Iran will be stronger after 60 days, they will have a long rest, but the Americans will also get a rest and continue to prepare for war. There’s an entire command here under the leadership of ADM Brad Cooper, and they have to prepare for war after 60 days. What the president is doing doesn’t interest them.”

Amidror then analyzed the American position from his point of view: “Trump will not want to come out of this event as a clown, someone who made repeated promises but did not carry them out. We have an interest in having a good agreement. We’re not looking for war, if they bring a good agreement, we’re in favor of it. We have a number of interests in ending this fighting, and we have to stand up for them. Will the Americans clarify them or not? They don’t know, the Iranians don’t know and we don’t know either. Are we slaves of America? No, but if you head a small startup and you take Google as a partner, then you have to assume that Google will have the same impact as yours if not more. We have learned that it is possible to attack in Iran. We intended to go to war without them. They joined us.”

“Who thought that in three weeks they would fold Iran? We have to get out of the illusions”

Amidror also referred to the possibility of a prolonged campaign against Iran: “This is not Hamas – this is a country of 90 million people. It is 60 times larger than Israel. Who thought that in three weeks they would fold Iran? We have to get out of the illusions. Iran is a struggle for a very long time as long as the government is like that. We will have to be alert and ready for war. We may have to go back at a certain point and say that as soon as the nuclear program is established, for example, we will have to come back and destroy it.”

In addition, he discussed the mutual relations and close cooperation between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump: “The Prime Minister talks with President Trump quite a bit. There is trust between them, they reveal to each other, and the American programs at the lower levels are done by CENTCOM, a headquarters that has our representatives and very strong connections. Are we aware of what the Americans said every day in the negotiations? In the spirit of the negotiations, it is the White House that decides. The talks between the prime minister and Trump are extremely important. What are the Americans preparing to do and what are they preparing? CENTCOM is the most important and we are familiar with it. Can we influence the issues and gives? We don’t talk to them. I think that the details of the things that are exchanged between them are less important to us. The latest version of the agreement is important to us.”

“It’s not good for us in the end if the Iranian agreement includes Lebanon as well”

Moreover, Amidror presented his position on the situation in Lebanon and warned against connecting the arenas: “One of our interests is that there should be no connection between the agreement in Iran and the situation in Lebanon. Yesterday there was an American statement that Hezbollah is violating the ceasefire and the Israelis will attack. It is better for us to be at this stage, it is better for us as long as there is no agreement to coordinate with the Americans. It depends again on what happens.”

He added, “In the end, it is not good for us if the Iranian agreement includes Lebanon as well. This will give confirmation to Iranian influence in Lebanon. The chances of dismantling Hezbollah have dropped even further. The Americans are conducting the negotiations, and I hope that our position has been expressed in full force. I’m not sure that the Americans can dismantle the relationship that has been created at this stage, it’s not good for us if there is such a connection. Life is in the end, but it’s a matter of alternatives, and it’s better for us as long as the Americans negotiate terms for a ceasefire and an agreement, we have to try to coordinate with the Americans.”

Read the original interview in Maariv (in Hebrew).