On Nov. 24, 2013, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood before the news cameras and responded aggressively to the interim agreement that was signed in Geneva between the superpowers and Iran. “What was concluded in Geneva last night is not a historic agreement. It is a historic mistake,” said Netanyahu. He went on to clarify that Israel is not committed to the agreement, and that “Israel has the right and the obligation to defend itself by itself against any threat.”
Almost a year has gone by since then. Over the last few days, the parties participating in the talks in Vienna have shifted gears, as the target date for a permanent agreement approaches. According to reports coming out of the Austrian capital, negotiations over the Iranian nuclear program have reached a critical phase, with the superpowers showing greater flexibility in their positions. And what has Netanyahu been doing? He got up in front of the cameras yet again to warn against a bad agreement that would endanger Israel.