As many Democrats have shifted to the left under President Joe Biden, so have many followers of Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel moved to the right. This widening ideological chasm between the two leaders and their coalitions will surely lead to conflict, particularly in regards to the Palestinians and the likelihood of a viable two-state solution. But there is one underlying issue where the interests of the two big allies should not diverge: stopping Iran from gaining a nuclear arsenal.
A nuclear-armed Iran would not only pose an existential threat to Israel, but also to America’s other Gulf and international friends. Fear of an aggressive Iran determined to control the entire area was a significant factor in the willingness of several Arab governments to sign the Abraham Accords.
Israel will never permit Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon capable of being delivered. Israel will do everything it takes to prevent this, just as it did in Iraq and Syria when it struck nuclear sites there. Will the United States inform Iran’s murderous mullahs that we might, as a last resort, participate in a military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities if Iran remains intransigent?
If Iran is persuaded that this is the extent of our commitment, it will be more likely to end its weapons program and seek relief from economic sanctions. Why be exposed to crushing sanctions, particularly while domestic protests are on the rise and upsetting the government, if there is no credible danger of developing a nuclear arsenal?
Iran does not currently believe that the Biden administration, which is inspired by the Democrats’ increasingly radical left-wing factions, would take such action. And Iranian leaders are wagering that the Biden administration would be so alienated by Israel’s new right-wing government that the president will be unwilling to collaborate against Iran.
Therefore, it is crucial that both the Biden and Netanyahu administrations marginalize the extremist portions of their respective support bases in order to prevent them from influencing an issue on which our two nations should remain unified.
This won’t be simple. Biden’s and Bibi’s ideological coalitions are reliant on their respective extremism, particularly on domestic matters. Iran, though, is more significant than any internal issue. A nuclear Iran would be significantly more dangerous than any existing nuclear power, including Pakistan and North Korea. If Iran developed a nuclear shield, it might attack its Sunni neighbors without fear of repercussions. Iran might also unleash its surrogates, such as Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations. The new threats would be grave and unforeseen.
Biden and Netanyahu must therefore collaborate despite their ideological disagreements. Despite the growing influence of extremism, our nations have considerably more in common than not. Both nations are constitutional democracies in their heart. As fans of both nations, we are skeptical of the hard-left Democrats attempting to sway Biden, as well as Netanyahu’s hard-right cabinet members. We hope and expect that these experienced, centrist-at-heart leaders will not be overly affected by the extremists in their midst.
But even if extremists have influence over internal policies, this should not prevent our governments from cooperating to prevent the growth of the greatest threat to the Middle East and the rest of the world: a nuclear-armed Iran.
In our two thriving democracies, the ideological pendulum swings wildly. Throughout the years, Israeli politics have frequently been to the left of ours. They are now on the right. It is inherent to democratic friends to experience temporary political disputes. What counts are the persistent similarities shared by the citizens of both countries, including their mutual enemies. Iran, which refers to the United States as the “Great Satan” and to Israel as the “Small Satan,” is not only an opponent of our two countries, but also of peace, liberty, and decency.
Only an united effort by the governments of Biden and Netanyahu can prevent Iran from threatening the world by acquiring nuclear weapons. Therefore, these leaders should set aside their differences and collaborate for their shared benefit and the good of the entire world.
Alan Dershowitz is an emeritus professor at Harvard Law School and the author of “The Price of Principle” and “Guilt by Accusation.” Andrew Stein, a Democrat, served as president of the New York City Council from 1986 to 1994.
»Biden and Netanyahu must set aside their differences and work together to put an end to Iran«