Liberal Forum

Private discussions between Israeli officials before launching the war against Iran in June indicate that Tehran’s development of nuclear weapons was not an immediate concern. At the time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran’s nuclear program was an immediate threat.

"We are at a historic moment with a crucial decision. If we don’t stop [them], within a few years, they will get tens of thousands of kilograms of [nuclear] explosives," the Prime Minister said at a top-secret meeting the day before launching the war. "Iran has already enriched fissile material at a level that is enough for eight to nine bombs, and they are working on the weaponization."
Via JPost/GPO

According to The Times of Israel, one unnamed senior military official said the attack would prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon in "the long term" and the war would "improve Israel’s strategic balance."

Publicly, Netanyahu gave far more alarming warnings about Tehran’s breakout time to build a nuclear weapon. He said, "Iran’s nuclear teams were racing to build nuclear warheads." The Israeli intelligence agency Mossad claimed Iran could assemble a nuclear weapon within 15 days.

Another rationale was simply the Islamic Republic's expanding ballistic missile arsenal:

    "They are getting close to being the second-biggest powerhouse on ballistic missiles. After we destroy some of their sites and scientists, negotiations for a deal will be held in a different reality. We have held marathon discussions over many months," Netanyahu said.

The private discussions also reveal that Israeli officials believed that they would not be able to destroy Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium and were depending on Trump entering the conflict. "The basic assumption is that at the end of the operation, Iran will still possess enriched material," one official said.

Tel Aviv needed the US to destroy the Fordo nuclear facility. One senior official admitted, "Fordo will be destroyed only if the US attacks it."

Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer was confident that Trump would decide to bomb Fordo and provide Israel with assistance in shooting down Iranian missiles.

The conversations additionally reveal that Tel Aviv was trying to overthrow the Iranian government, not just destroy its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

LowIQTrash » 21 Sep 2025, 2:24 am » wrote: ↑

21 Sep 2025, 2:24 am

But the retarded, vermin conjobZ assured me he was an honest man??!!

 

JohnnyYou » 21 Sep 2025, 2:30 am » wrote: ↑

21 Sep 2025, 2:30 am

Bebe will be remembered as a war criminal and a supporter of the resurgence of Facism.
Half of Israel doesn't like him.  I am not sure when the next election is there but I think any path to victory for him faces serious obsatcles..

He did nuetralize the Supreme Court there.  He might end up taking the same road Trump is taking and declaring there can't be an election because he knows he will lose.

Thanks for keeping the religion out of it.  That shyt is poison and Satan has hijacked 'em all.  Nepal even had civil unrest recently, even the Bhuddists can;t find peace in beliefs.

LowIQTrash » 21 Sep 2025, 2:35 am » wrote: ↑

21 Sep 2025, 2:35 am

Last I checked about 80% of Israelis supported his policies in Gaza. I will reconfirm in the next 3 days

• August 2025: A poll by the Jerusalem Post found that only 36% of the Israeli public was satisfied with Netanyahu's performance, while 59% were dissatisfied. Among coalition voters, however, his satisfaction was much higher at 86%.
• July 2025: An Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) survey found that less than half of the public, 40%, trusted Netanyahu, with confidence significantly lower among Arab Israelis (10%).
• January 2025: A Maariv poll projected that if elections were held, Netanyahu's Likud party would win just 22 seats and his political bloc would fall short of a majority. The poll also found that 88% of Israelis supported a hostage exchange deal, contrasting with Netanyahu's stance at the time.
• June 2024: A  no spam  survey reported that 41% of Israelis viewed Netanyahu favorably, while 58% had an unfavorable view. 

• Disagreement over the Gaza war: Polls indicate the Israeli public has grown weary of the prolonged conflict in Gaza. A majority of Israelis have also been shown to support a comprehensive hostage release deal that would end the war, a position that put them at odds with Netanyahu's preference for a phased agreement.
• Hostage crisis: After over 100 hostages had been held by Hamas for several months, a May 2025 YouTube report suggested that many Israelis believed Netanyahu was not interested in releasing them, leading to discontent.
• Judicial reforms and conscription law: Public anger over Netanyahu's efforts to overhaul the judicial system and discontent with ultra-Orthodox exemptions from army service have persisted and re-emerged as key issues.
• October 7th security failure: Many Israelis hold Netanyahu responsible for the unprecedented security lapse that enabled the October 7th, 2023 attack by Hamas. 

• Coalition voters: Satisfaction with Netanyahu is highest among voters who identify with the ideological right and are part of his coalition.
• Jewish religious observance: Polling from mid-2024 shows that ultra-Orthodox and religious Jews have a much more favorable view of Netanyahu compared to secular Jews. 

JohnnyYou » 21 Sep 2025, 2:30 am » wrote: ↑

21 Sep 2025, 2:30 am

Bebe will be remembered as a war criminal and a supporter of the resurgence of Facism.
Half of Israel doesn't like him.  I am not sure when the next election is there but I think any path to victory for him faces serious obsatcles..

He did nuetralize the Supreme Court there.  He might end up taking the same road Trump is taking and declaring there can't be an election because he knows he will lose.

Thanks for keeping the religion out of it.  That shyt is poison and Satan has hijacked 'em all.  Nepal even had civil unrest recently, even the Bhuddists can;t find peace in beliefs.

PlumHollow » 21 Sep 2025, 5:50 am » wrote: ↑

21 Sep 2025, 5:50 am

Trump's doing what? 

PlumHollow » 21 Sep 2025, 5:50 am » wrote: ↑

21 Sep 2025, 5:50 am

Trump's doing what? 

Blackvegetable » 21 Sep 2025, 7:03 am » wrote: ↑

21 Sep 2025, 7:03 am

Cementing his place at the bottom of presidential rankings...

Nod.

RebelGator » 21 Sep 2025, 7:37 am » wrote: ↑

21 Sep 2025, 7:37 am

    You voted for a moron and a cock-gobbler....was that out of professional courtesy?

LowIQTrash » 21 Sep 2025, 2:35 am » wrote: ↑

21 Sep 2025, 2:35 am

Last I checked about 80% of Israelis supported his policies in Gaza. I will reconfirm in the next 3 days

JuCo 5 percenter...72 “Show me the man and I’ll find you the crime” ~ LAVRENTIY BERIA "Try to get past your passionate ignorance and learn to accept what actually happened." ~ brown's unheeded words of wisdom If gender is not sex, why should a gender claim change what sex you shower with? "Libruls are often fascists on vacation..."

Blackvegetable » 21 Sep 2025, 9:53 am » wrote: ↑

21 Sep 2025, 9:53 am

JuCo 5 percenter...72 “Show me the man and I’ll find you the crime” ~ LAVRENTIY BERIA "Try to get past your passionate ignorance and learn to accept what actually happened." ~ brown's unheeded words of wisdom If gender is not sex, why should a gender claim change what sex you shower with? "Libruls are often fascists on vacation..."

JohnnyYou » 21 Sep 2025, 2:52 am » wrote: ↑

21 Sep 2025, 2:52 am

Thanks. I may very well be a victim of my own confirmation bias.

what is Netanyahu's favorability rating in Israel?
As of mid-2025, Benjamin Netanyahu's favorability ratings in Israel were low, with his approval hovering below 50% and polls indicating his party would lose seats if a new election were held
. His popularity has continued to decline due to his handling of the war in Gaza, the ongoing hostage situation, and coalition disputes. 
Recent Israeli poll results

• August 2025: A poll by the Jerusalem Post found that only 36% of the Israeli public was satisfied with Netanyahu's performance, while 59% were dissatisfied. Among coalition voters, however, his satisfaction was much higher at 86%.
• July 2025: An Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) survey found that less than half of the public, 40%, trusted Netanyahu, with confidence significantly lower among Arab Israelis (10%).
• January 2025: A Maariv poll projected that if elections were held, Netanyahu's Likud party would win just 22 seats and his political bloc would fall short of a majority. The poll also found that 88% of Israelis supported a hostage exchange deal, contrasting with Netanyahu's stance at the time.
• June 2024: A  no spam  survey reported that 41% of Israelis viewed Netanyahu favorably, while 58% had an unfavorable view. 

Factors contributing to low favorability

• Disagreement over the Gaza war: Polls indicate the Israeli public has grown weary of the prolonged conflict in Gaza. A majority of Israelis have also been shown to support a comprehensive hostage release deal that would end the war, a position that put them at odds with Netanyahu's preference for a phased agreement.
• Hostage crisis: After over 100 hostages had been held by Hamas for several months, a May 2025 YouTube report suggested that many Israelis believed Netanyahu was not interested in releasing them, leading to discontent.
• Judicial reforms and conscription law: Public anger over Netanyahu's efforts to overhaul the judicial system and discontent with ultra-Orthodox exemptions from army service have persisted and re-emerged as key issues.
• October 7th security failure: Many Israelis hold Netanyahu responsible for the unprecedented security lapse that enabled the October 7th, 2023 attack by Hamas. 

Popularity within his political base
Despite low overall favorability, Netanyahu maintains strong support among his political base.

• Coalition voters: Satisfaction with Netanyahu is highest among voters who identify with the ideological right and are part of his coalition.
• Jewish religious observance: Polling from mid-2024 shows that ultra-Orthodox and religious Jews have a much more favorable view of Netanyahu compared to secular Jews. 

Blackvegetable » 21 Sep 2025, 7:03 am » wrote: ↑

21 Sep 2025, 7:03 am

Cementing his place at the bottom of presidential rankings...

Nod.

JohnnyYou » 21 Sep 2025, 2:30 am » wrote: ↑

21 Sep 2025, 2:30 am

Bebe will be remembered as a war criminal and a supporter of the resurgence of Facism.
Half of Israel doesn't like him.  I am not sure when the next election is there but I think any path to victory for him faces serious obsatcles..

He did nuetralize the Supreme Court there.  He might end up taking the same road Trump is taking and declaring there can't be an election because he knows he will lose.

Thanks for keeping the religion out of it.  That shyt is poison and Satan has hijacked 'em all.  Nepal even had civil unrest recently, even the Bhuddists can;t find peace in beliefs.

Blackvegetable » 21 Sep 2025, 7:03 am » wrote: ↑

21 Sep 2025, 7:03 am

Cementing his place at the bottom of presidential rankings...

Nod.

miketx » 03 Oct 2025, 3:03 pm » wrote: ↑

03 Oct 2025, 3:03 pm

You media fed **** eating **** spewing leftist traitor bastard.

miketx » 03 Oct 2025, 3:03 pm » wrote: ↑

03 Oct 2025, 3:03 pm

You media fed **** eating **** spewing leftist traitor bastard.

PlumHollow » 03 Oct 2025, 2:15 pm » wrote: ↑

03 Oct 2025, 2:15 pm

Rankings don't mean much.
They change throughout the years anyway. You take polls and popularity contests so seriously. The moron that gave you a green for that stupid, shallow reply must think like you. Besides, time will show the 12 years to be a complete **** sandwich. Bread, poisonous feces, bread. Trump, Biden, Trump.
Let history tell you someday because you aren't really capable any more than your Jew-fetish friend.

miketx » 03 Oct 2025, 3:03 pm » wrote: ↑

03 Oct 2025, 3:03 pm

You media fed **** eating **** spewing leftist traitor bastard.