“We are witnessing the emergence of a new axis,” says Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, amid criticism of Netanyahu.
The Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Amichai Chikli. PHOTO: ANADOLU AGENCY
The “Türkiye-Qatar-Pakistan axis is worrying” for Tel Aviv, an Israeli cabinet minister said Wednesday.
“What we are witnessing is the emergence of a new axis,” Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli said on Israel’s 103 FM radio, adding that the three countries helped shape the recently announced deal between the United States and Iran.
“The emerging agreement is worrying, and the least of my worries is the rehabilitation of the Iranian economy,” he added.
His comments came amid harsh criticism in Israel of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who opposition figures accuse of failure, saying that US President Donald Trump excluded him from negotiations with Iran to end the war.
Washington and Tehran reached a temporary truce on April 8 thanks to Pakistani mediation before announcing a framework agreement on Monday to end the conflict. The agreement is expected to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday.
Israeli government ministers have publicly expressed their opposition to the deal.
There was no immediate response from Türkiye, Qatar and Pakistan to Chikli’s comments.
All three countries have supported diplomatic solutions to resolve the US-Iran conflict and efforts to promote regional stability.
Iran-US deal ‘bad for Israel’, says Israeli finance minister
The US-Iran deal reached under Pakistani mediation is “bad for Israel and the entire free world,” Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Monday.
“The joint campaign made many gains to weaken Iran, and they will not be wasted,” he said on American social media company X.
“We will have to continue the campaign to overthrow the regime ourselves and in creative ways, and ensure that Iran will never have nuclear weapons,” he added.
Stating that Tel Aviv will be tested in Lebanon, Smotrich said he will “continue to act” to give the Israeli military “full freedom of action to continue expelling Hezbollah.”
US President Donald Trump declared on Sunday that a peace deal with Iran had been completed. The agreement includes stopping the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the US naval blockade against Iran.
Despite the announcement, the Israeli military continued to launch airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Monday.
Israeli strikes have killed more than 3,700 people, injured nearly 11,500 and displaced more than 1.5 million since March 2, according to Lebanese officials.
