The Takeaway: Iran looms over Israel’s March 23 elections
For Bibi, it’s the gift that keeps on giving as the Arab coalition splinters; Turkish protesters want an invite to Clubhouse; Erdogan quiet on Khashoggi report; the battle over Mosul; our take on Iran’s ground game; and more!
Five quick takes on Israel, Iran, Turkey and Iraq
1. Politics plays a role in Israel’s response to cargo ship attack
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding off, for now, on retaliation for the Feb. 26 attack on an Israeli cargo ship, which Israel has blamed on Iran (Tehran has denied responsibility). There were no casualties and limited damage, and the ship is back on its course after repairs in Dubai. Most of Bibi’s inner circle argues that restraint, and using the incident as yet another example of Iran’s malign behavior, will serve it best in its dealing with the Joe Biden administration. With the US-EU-Iran nuclear talks stalled (see below), the fear of imminent discord with Washington over Iran is less. Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen is reportedly the abstainer from the current restraint consensus, advocating a to-be-determined retaliation.
Iran: the gift that keeps on giving. "Iran has served Netanyahu well throughout his political career," reports Ben Caspit, who has the inside scoop on Israel’s deliberations on the next steps. "He has fanned the flames of the Iranian threat to great heights and repeatedly used them to his political advantage. Now, at almost the last minute before the elections (on March 23), he has once again been handed this gift that keeps on giving."
