Israel wary as second round of Washington-Tehran nuclear talks approaches

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian 

As in the previous round, Israel is cautiously awaiting the second round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran in Geneva.

That caution has been reinforced by statements from Iran’s deputy foreign minister, particularly those concerning the fate of ballistic missiles. Tel Aviv maintains that any agreement that does not ensure their elimination would be a bad deal — a position shared by both the government and the opposition.

In parallel, Israeli security agencies are closely monitoring the U.S. military buildup near Iran. They continue to assess that a strike on Iran could be carried out by the end of next month — a window Israel is seeking to use to ensure maximum preparedness for both defense and offense.

Israel also views protests taking place in cities around the world against Iran’s ruling system as the most effective way to reignite internal unrest and simultaneously increase pressure on the negotiation track.

While Israel remains focused on the Iran file, the West Bank is moving to the forefront, amid expectations that the outcome of the nuclear talks — along with the approach of Ramadan — could affect the situation there. 

The security establishment has expressed concern that tensions could spiral into a major security deterioration, particularly in light of settler violations and controversial decisions taken by Israeli authorities.

These include measures encouraging settlement expansion, notably the cancellation of the Jordanian land law, approved by the Israeli government, which would allow large areas of the West Bank to be registered in the name of the Israeli state for the first time since 1967.