Tel Aviv, Israel – Naftali Bennett, Israel’s former Prime Minister and a leading contender to succeed Benjamin Netanyahu, likened the ruling regime in Iran to a “tree rotten from within.” He asserted that the regime is ultimately doomed to collapse and fall due to its deep-seated crises and the erosion of its legitimacy.
In a televised video interview that dealt with regional affairs and the Iranian file, Bennett explained that this “corrupt tree” can be targeted and its foundations undermined through a wide and diverse range of ways and means. He also frankly stressed that he does not necessarily mean only direct military action, although it remains an existing option.
The veteran Israeli politician outlined the other tools available to exert pressure on Tehran, stating: “I mean imposing strict economic measures—alongside other sensitive matters I do not wish to discuss in public—as well as providing genuine support to strengthen the Iranian opposition from within, and backing the regime’s adversaries and its regional and international enemies.”
These statements come at a time of escalating geopolitical tensions in the region, amidst ongoing Israeli efforts to rally international support against Iran’s nuclear program and Tehran’s network of regional alliances. Tel Aviv is also preparing for political and electoral realignments that could reshape the map of alliances.
