Israeli opposition leader says emerging US-Iran deal is `bad for the region’

Key Points:

• Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized the U.S.-Iran deal as failing to meet Israel’s objectives in the ongoing conflict, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of lacking influence over the agreement.
• The deal under discussion involves Iran relinquishing its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and reopening the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for lifting sanctions, with key nuclear program details to be negotiated over 60 days; it remains unclear if missile and proxy group issues are addressed.
• Lapid praised U.S. President Donald Trump for initiating the war alongside Israel but condemned Netanyahu for insufficiently coordinating with Washington, highlighting concerns over Israel’s diminished influence in U.S. decision-making.
• Lapid, who leads the centrist Yesh Atid party and is allied with Naftali Bennett to challenge Netanyahu in upcoming elections, ruled out immediate progress on Palestinian statehood due to recent conflicts and rejected cooperation with Arab parties in forming a new government.
• Despite opposing unilateral moves that would preclude a future Palestinian state, Lapid emphasized that current conditions make a two-state solution unlikely and noted assurances from Bennett against annexation of occupied territories.