Harsh criticism of Netanyahu from domestic opponents

Binyamin Netanyahu's political opponents reacted to his speech to the US Congress by expressing support for the campaign to prevent Iran obtaining a nuclear bomb but warning that Mr Netanyahu is undermining such efforts.

Yitzhak Herzog, the joint head of the centre-left Zionist Camp, said Mr Netanyahu's address will not stop the emerging Iran nuclear deal.

“Let’s be honest, the speech we heard today, as impressive as it was, did not stop the Iranian nuclear programme. “After the applause, Netanyahu is alone, Israel remains alienated and the Iranian nuclear talks will continue without any Israeli involvement.”

Mr Herzog, who declined an invitation to accompany Mr Netanyahu to Washington, said Israel was facing security issues far more worrying than Iran, and vowed that as prime minister he would work to ensure that Iran did not acquire nuclear capabilities.

He accused Mr Netanyahu of jeopardising bilateral relations with Washington.

“This speech is a very harsh wound to Israel-US relations,” he said. “It will not change the position of the administration and will only widen the rift with Israel’s greatest ally and strategic partner.”

Zahava Galon, the leader of the left-wing Meretz party, accused Mr Netanyahu of “chutzpa” for bad-mouthing the emerging nuclear deal with Iran.

“It’s like David Cameron coming to the Knesset and telling Netanyahu that he is endangering the security of Israel,” she said.

She said that Netanyahu had made himself “irrelevant” on the subject of Iran. “I hope that after this speech he will also become irrelevant as an Israeli politician,” she added.

Statesmanlike speech

Dr Michael Oren, Israel’s former ambassador to Washington, who is running in the election for the new centrist Kulanu party, described the speech as well-reasoned and statesmanlike.

“I hope it generates a public debate in America over the nuclear agreement to be signed,” he said.

However, he urged Mr Netanyahu to ask for a face-to-face meeting with US president Barack Obama before returning to Israel in order to thank him personally for US support for Israel, as a first step to repairing the damaged bilateral ties.

Ahead of Mr Netanyahu's speech the latest polls gave the Zionist Camp, led jointly by Mr Herzog and former justice minister Tsipi Livni, a three- to two-seat lead over Mr Netanyahu's Likud party.

With only two weeks remaining before the election the lead represents a further decline in the Likud's standing, although an extremely difficult task of coalition-building awaits whichever candidate is nominated by president Reuven Rivlin to form a government after the March 17th election.

The next polls will reflect the impact of the speech on the Israeli electorate.