Two Former Israeli Ministers Back Military Solution to Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions

Leader of the opposition and former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a media statement as he leaves the prime minister's office after receiving a security update with Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid regarding the Iran nuclear deal in Jerusalem, Israel, 29 August 2022. (EPA)
Leader of the opposition and former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a media statement as he leaves the prime minister's office after receiving a security update with Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid regarding the Iran nuclear deal in Jerusalem, Israel, 29 August 2022. (EPA)
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Two Former Israeli Ministers Back Military Solution to Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions

Leader of the opposition and former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a media statement as he leaves the prime minister's office after receiving a security update with Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid regarding the Iran nuclear deal in Jerusalem, Israel, 29 August 2022. (EPA)
Leader of the opposition and former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a media statement as he leaves the prime minister's office after receiving a security update with Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid regarding the Iran nuclear deal in Jerusalem, Israel, 29 August 2022. (EPA)

Israeli government and opposition leaders have brought the issue of Iran and confronting its nuclear project and all its military activities into their campaigns for the upcoming elections.

Two former ministers said that the “military option” is the only solution to confront Tehran, and that the Iranians “know that current prime minister, Yair Lapid, is not fit to lead Israel in such a war.”

According to the ministers, Israelis prefer a strong leader like former prime minister and opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu.

Lapid and Netanyahu held a meeting on Monday to discuss the revival of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and the talks between Iran and world powers which appeared to have advanced in the past week.

After the briefing with Lapid, Netanyahu said he was “more concerned about Iran” than before the meeting. He accused Lapid and Defense Minister Benny Gantz of failing to prevent a “disastrous Iran nuclear deal.”

Furthermore, he accused the government of “childishly working on a dangerous issue.”

He indicated that Lapid “is primarily committed to the US administration, not Israel's interests.”

“Iran has witnessed three decades of international efforts to deter its nuclear program and its military projects to dominate the Middle East. Yet no methods of action have worked so far,” said Yoav Galant, former minister of construction and housing.

“The only solution to stop it is to go to a military operation or to seriously threaten a military operation. Nothing else works. Everything else is just talk,” he added.

Former minister of strategic affairs, Yuval Steinitz echoed Galant’s statements on military pressure being the only way to get Iran to abandon its nuclear and regional ambitions.

“The world must admit that its diplomatic efforts and economic sanctions have failed to influence Iran to change its aggressive course, and there are no longer any pressure tools other than military pressure,” he told local radio on Tuesday.



Kremlin Denies that Europeans Will Participate in Abu Dhabi Peace Talks

FILED - 19 December 2024, Russia, Moscow: FILE PHOTO - Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual end-of-year press conference. Photo: Kremlin Press Office/dpa -
FILED - 19 December 2024, Russia, Moscow: FILE PHOTO - Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual end-of-year press conference. Photo: Kremlin Press Office/dpa -
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Kremlin Denies that Europeans Will Participate in Abu Dhabi Peace Talks

FILED - 19 December 2024, Russia, Moscow: FILE PHOTO - Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual end-of-year press conference. Photo: Kremlin Press Office/dpa -
FILED - 19 December 2024, Russia, Moscow: FILE PHOTO - Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual end-of-year press conference. Photo: Kremlin Press Office/dpa -

The Kremlin said on Monday that peace talks on Ukraine in Abu Dhabi this week would take place between Russian, Ukrainian and US ‌delegations in ‌a three-way format, ‌not ⁠including European officials.

Kremlin ⁠spokesman Dmitry Peskov's comments to reporters appeared to conflict with a statement on ⁠Sunday by French Foreign ‌Minister ‌Jean-Noel Barrot, who ‌said French representatives would ‌be present at the November 10-11 meeting, where the sides are ‌set to discuss ending the war ⁠in ⁠Ukraine, post-war security pacts and de-escalation.

Peskov said the Ukrainians and the US both had their own communication channels with European counterparts.


Iran Defends Two-day Proposal for Peace Talks after US Rejects Conditions

People drive past a billboard about the Strait of Hormuz, on a building in Tehran, Iran, September 16, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
People drive past a billboard about the Strait of Hormuz, on a building in Tehran, Iran, September 16, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
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Iran Defends Two-day Proposal for Peace Talks after US Rejects Conditions

People drive past a billboard about the Strait of Hormuz, on a building in Tehran, Iran, September 16, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
People drive past a billboard about the Strait of Hormuz, on a building in Tehran, Iran, September 16, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

Iran ‌defended a proposal on Monday to restart peace talks in as few as two days as the most reasonable offer on the table, after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called some of Iran's conditions "outrageous and ridiculous".

"Is it unreasonable that Iran ‌demands that ‌US illegal sanctions and its ‌naval ⁠blockade must be ⁠lifted before negotiations start and that the war should end on all fronts?" Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told a weekly press conference in response ⁠to Rubio's remarks.

Iran has ‌made the ‌offer to shorten the time to ‌restart talks from an earlier seven-day ‌proposal, which calls for Washington to first meet conditions including halting hostilities, lifting a blockade and waiving sanctions.

Baghaei ‌also said US pressure on Iraq to close ⁠most ⁠of its borders with Iran should not affect bilateral ties with Baghdad, after Iraq's foreign minister said Washington was pushing for such a move. Baghaei dismissed a US military task force aimed at restricting Iran's land trade as a diversion following President Donald Trump's Republicans' losses in midterm elections.


Le Pen and Melenchon Ahead in 2027 French Presidential Race, Poll Shows

Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of French far-left opposition party La France Insoumise (France Unbowed - LFI) and candidate for the 2027 French presidential election, delivers a speech during a political rally to present LFI's government program for the presidential election, in Le Bourget near Paris, France, November 7, 2026. (Reuters)
Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of French far-left opposition party La France Insoumise (France Unbowed - LFI) and candidate for the 2027 French presidential election, delivers a speech during a political rally to present LFI's government program for the presidential election, in Le Bourget near Paris, France, November 7, 2026. (Reuters)
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Le Pen and Melenchon Ahead in 2027 French Presidential Race, Poll Shows

Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of French far-left opposition party La France Insoumise (France Unbowed - LFI) and candidate for the 2027 French presidential election, delivers a speech during a political rally to present LFI's government program for the presidential election, in Le Bourget near Paris, France, November 7, 2026. (Reuters)
Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of French far-left opposition party La France Insoumise (France Unbowed - LFI) and candidate for the 2027 French presidential election, delivers a speech during a political rally to present LFI's government program for the presidential election, in Le Bourget near Paris, France, November 7, 2026. (Reuters)

French ‌far-right leader Marine Le Pen and hard-left rival Jean-Luc Melenchon consolidated their lead in voting intention ahead of next year's presidential election, a poll showed on Monday, as political polarization in the country intensifies.

Le Pen would top the first-round vote with between 34% and 36% ‌depending on ‌the scenarios tested by ‌pollster ⁠Toluna Harris Interactive in ⁠a survey carried out between November 3 and 5.

A similar poll last month showed her at between 35% and 37%.

Melenchon, the candidate of the ⁠far-left France Unbowed (LFI) party, ‌is seen ‌reaching a run-off in all five scenarios polled, ‌with either 18% or 19%.

Le Pen is seen beating Melenchon easily in a run-off.

As Macron's second and final five-year term ‌comes to an end, the unpopular president leaves behind a ⁠hollowed-out political ⁠center and weak economy, creating an opening for hardline parties.

Melenchon has already run three times for president in 2012, 2017 and 2022, but never managed to reach the second round. Le Pen also ran in those same three elections and lost in the second round in 2017 and 2022 to Macron.