Lapid surprised by Mossad chief remarks, embarrassed before US: media

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Israeli media reported Thursday that the office of the Israeli occupation's Prime Minister, Yair Lapid, was surprised by Mossad chief David Barnea's criticism of US President Joe Biden's administration and demanded clarification.

Israeli Channel 12 had quoted the Mossad chief as saying in a series of internal meetings that the nuclear agreement "is very bad for Israel, yet, a strategic disaster."

According to the Israeli news website Walla!, Barnea's remarks created an embarrassment before the US administration after a few days in which there was a certain fading of the tensions between the US and "Israel" regarding the nuclear agreement and convergence of positions regarding the need to avoid further concessions in the negotiations with Iran.

The Israeli website said that despite Lapid's request, Barnea did not want to tell reporters that the US had hardened its position in the nuclear negotiations, claiming that this was the Israeli Prime Minister's position and not a professional one and added that he does not know what happened in the talks with the White House.

Walla! pointed out that Lapid and his men did not like this part of Barnea's remarks, which did not match the message that the Israeli Prime Minister's Office wanted to convey, and did not match the content of the National Security Council Chairman Eyal Hulata's talks in Washington.

Following Barnea's briefing, officials in Lapid's office contacted the head of Mossad's advisors and asked for clarification.

The news website cited officials in Lapid's office as saying that the Israeli PM has no problem with Barnea's position and also agrees with a large part of it. However, the problem, they said, was the lack of coordination when it came to some of the messages he conveyed.

In the same context, Walla! said that the head of Mossad David Barnea is the side pushing for the most extreme line on the Iranian nuclear deal within the Israeli occupation government, highlighting that it was not difficult for Barnea to convince former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett of his position.

Barnea claims that the entire Israeli security establishment supports his position against the nuclear deal, Walla! indicated, adding that to strengthen his claim, Barnea uses the fact that IOF chief Aviv Kochavi - who previously believed that the nuclear agreement had merits - aligned himself with his position a few months ago.

However, the Israeli news website pointed out that within the Israeli security establishment, there is a number of security officials that oppose Barnea's position and see strategic benefits for "Israel" in the event of signing a nuclear agreement, revealing that although Security Minister Benny Gantz does not announce it in public, he also agrees with these officials.

According to Walla!, the arguments of the camp that does not oppose a return to the nuclear deal are that such a deal would stop Iran's progress towards obtaining a nuclear bomb and roll back the Iranian nuclear program.

Another argument is that a nuclear agreement will buy time for the Israeli occupation to prepare for an attack against Iran's nuclear facilities.

Israeli media: US not concerned with Lapid's stance on nuclear deal: 

On Thursday, Israeli media quoted the former National Security Council head, Major General in Reserve Yaakov Amidror, as saying that "the Americans had previously deceived us in the previous nuclear agreement," stressing that the United States of America was "acting according to its interests."

On Wednesday, Israeli media reported that the administration of US President Joe Biden "does not take into account" the current Israeli occupation government with regard to the Iranian nuclear deal file.

Israeli media reported on Wednesday that the administration of US President Joe Biden "does not take into account" the current Israeli occupation government with regard to the file of the Iranian nuclear deal.

Israeli media cited, on Tuesday, a security source revealing that "the United States of America has relinquished all its demands to Iran." The source explains that "the assessment is that at this stage the crystallized agreement cannot be stopped," and that "Tehran got the dream deal."

Israeli media reported a few days ago,  quoting political sources, that "Iran is close to signing the nuclear deal with major powers." 

The political sources stated that "Israel perceives the present deal as a bad one," and pointed out that it is "preparing for various scenarios."