The UN General Assembly's meeting of world leaders commenced this week. For the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, leaders will attend the assembly in person. The delegations are smaller than usual and not all countries chose to send their heads of state to the annual gathering. The global response to the pandemic is expected to be the central issue on the docket. The focus on the handling of the pandemic is important, and it's natural for most world leaders to address something that has changed the world.
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The challenge from the perspective of Israel and other countries in the region is to ensure the Iranian nuclear issue receives the appropriate amount of attention. Foreseeing this in advance, the Iranians announced their intention to renew nuclear talks in the coming weeks. The Iranians mustn't be allowed to continue deceiving the nations of the world. In the five years I served in the UN, I witnessed the Iranian deception apparatus in action. In one instance, when former Iranian president Hassan Rouhani visited, it so happened I was seated next to his table at one of the UN's various events. I saw up close the Iranian leader sweet talk and convince world leaders of his "pure" intentions. Since that event, the Iranian nuclear program has taken massive strides while the Iranian charade continues unabated.
For the first time in his life, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will speak on one of the world's biggest stages, the UN General Assembly. It is his responsibility to maintain former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's approach and shine the spotlight on the Iranian nuclear threat, which threatens regional and global stability. Israel's primary message must be strong and clear. Handling the coronavirus pandemic is important, but an equally significant threat exists that could undermine the fragile stability of the Middle East, and that is the Iranian nuclear program.
The delicate balance in the Middle East will be disrupted, and not just Israel, but other countries in the region as well will find themselves in danger if Iran acquires the nuclear capabilities to which it aspires. The nuclear deal Iran seeks will not stop its nuclear project; rather only grant international legitimacy to its pursuits.
In diplomacy, it is customary to be polite, but that doesn't mean conceding your positions. Israel must expose the truth, and say in a clear voice that signing a flawed nuclear deal with Iran while simultaneously vowing to never allow it to acquire a nuclear weapon are two irreconcilable things. From my experience in the diplomatic arena, I learned that many leaders talk about the importance of Israel's security while making decisions that in actuality weaken our security. Therefore, we must take our enemies' threats more seriously than the promises of our allies.
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