Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu started May 22 with a series of Tweets, bashing Iran. In the first one he lambasted Tehran as the reason for conflicts in the Middle East in a Leninesque rework of his famous quote “Learn, learn and learn.”
If you asked most of the governments and most of the leaders in the Middle East: What is the principle barrier to peace? What is the greatest threat to our security? They would say three things: Iran, Iran, and Iran.
— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) 22 мая 2018 г.
The passionate delivery resonated with commentators on Twitter, who responded symmetrically. Even the supporters echoed Netanyahu’s triple verbal attack on Iran.
My Love @netanyahu ❤
— Israh Rozenn (@rosennisrah) 22 мая 2018 г.
YOU ARE RIGHT❤YOU ARE RIGHT❤YOU ARE RIGHT❤That's right
Islamic Republic, Islamic Republic, Islamic Republic
— گاگولِ یاغی (@GagoolYaghi) 22 мая 2018 г.
i'd say palestine but ok, you win
— FriarFire (@FriarFire) 22 мая 2018 г.
The critics picked up his stylistic device, but turned it against Israel with slight deviations…
*Israel, Israel, Israel
— Richard (@VbN_) 22 мая 2018 г.
There, fixed it for you.
Israel Israel israhell
— New Yorker (@newyorker2833) 22 мая 2018 г.
…and Netanyahu.
YOU YOU AND YOU
— anthony (@anthonybigb) 22 мая 2018 г.
Others stuck to more classical anti-Netanyahu sentiments.
Butcher you need to be in The Hague pic.twitter.com/fjYuNJFrBl
— ✖RicoHands (@rico_hands) 22 мая 2018 г.
However, Netanyahu didn’t stop at one Tweet, elaborating on the matter with several follow-ups. He welcomed Donald Trump’s firm position on Iran, thanked the US for the “right policy,” praising the recent claims by new Secretary of State Mike Pompeo – “no enrichment, tough sanctions, and Iran should get out of Syria.”
READ MORE: Israeli PM Praises Pompeo's Iran Speech as 'Policy That Can Guarantee Security'
According to the Israeli top official, this is “the only policy that could ultimately guarantee the security of the Middle East and peace in the region.”
The American position prevents Iran from having nuclear weapons and breaks the cash machine that Iran was using to fund its conquest of the Middle East. Thank you, America. This is the right policy.
— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) 22 мая 2018 г.
The US policy is correct. Iran is spreading aggressively throughout the Middle East. It aspires to achieve nuclear weapons by various means, which we exposed.
— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) 22 мая 2018 г.
President Trump's policy is correct: Zero enrichment, which is unnecessary, and Iran needs to leave Syria.
He also gave his view on Iran’s nuclear program and accused Tehran of hiding the nuclear archive, claiming the Islamic Republic had “lied about it, and moved it from place to place because Iran is seeking nuclear weapons and conquest.”
If Iran wanted to seek peaceful nuclear energy, Iran would need not a single centrifuge. Iran doesn’t need centrifuges for enrichment. If Iran wanted to pursue a peaceful nuclear program, Iran would not hide its secret archives for making nuclear weapons.
— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) 22 мая 2018 г.
Israel was one of the key supporters of Washington’s recent decision to re-impose sanctions on Iran, as President Donald Trump announced the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, in a move that sparked a cold snap in Washington's ties with its European allies and co-signatories to the deal, including the European Union, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Iran, Russia, and China.
In his speech "After the Deal: A New Iran Strategy" at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pledged that the US would apply unprecedented financial pressure on Tehran via sanctions.
Warning that the "sting of sanctions" will not ease until Iran changes its course, Pompeo made it clear that the new sanctions will be the "strongest in history" and will make Tehran battle to "keep its economy alive."
The Islamic Republic has slammed the address, with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani saying that the world cannot accept that Washington makes unilateral decisions for all nations. Iran has repeatedly dismissed the allegations that it continues working on its nuclear program secretly.