As news breaks regarding the emerging contours of a U.S.-Iran deal—one that promises sanctions relief in exchange for a cessation of hostilities—the Israeli public is once again confronting a bitter, familiar paradox. We are told this deal is a path to stability. Yet, beneath the diplomatic veneer, a far more ominous reality is taking shape: the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the primary architect of Israel’s regional insecurity, stands to be the deal’s greatest beneficiary.

For years, the IRGC has operated as a shadow state, leveraging sanctions to build a sprawling, illicit commercial empire that spans oil, telecommunications, and infrastructure. Now, with the potential influx of hundreds of billions of dollars, this designated terrorist organization is poised to solidify its economic grip on Iran, effectively insulating itself against future Western pressure. For an elite Israeli audience, the question is not merely one of Iranian regional aggression; it is a question of how we arrived at this precarious juncture. The answer, unfortunately, lies in the strategic bankruptcy of the Netanyahu era.

A Decade of Diplomatic Isolation

For over a decade, Benjamin Netanyahu marketed himself to the Israeli public as the only figure capable of navigating the Iranian threat. His rhetoric was consistently bellicose, defined by a public, often abrasive, confrontation with the Obama administration over the 2015 JCPOA. Netanyahu staked his political capital on the promise that he could prevent a nuclear Iran while maintaining........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)