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Israel’s defense minister restores Iran to internal political agenda

Bracing for possible new elections, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz is making the most of his public statements on the Iranian nuclear threat.
JACQUELYN MARTIN/AFP via Getty Images

As far as the public agenda was concerned, the Iranian threat seemed to have been sidelined once the current government was formed. Only recently has it returned to the headlines, and in a big way. The person responsible is Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who flew to Washington May 18 for talks about Iran with his US counterparts.

Just one day before he left for DC, Gantz delivered a speech at Reichman University, warning of Iran’s accelerated progress toward a nuclear bomb. He also insinuated that Israel is preparing to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities. He noted that the cost of stopping Iran from obtaining a bomb will be much higher next year. If there has ever been a window of opportunity, it is now.

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