Lapid criticises Netanyahu on emergent Iran deal

Israeli Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid slammed the developing agreement on Iran's nuclear program on Monday, saying that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was to blame for the current impasse in the talks.

In an interview with Ynet, Lapid said the emergent accord was a bad deal: "We have to fight the deal until the last moment if possible because this is a bad agreement for the state of Israel, I think there is no coalition and opposition in opposing this agreement."

Lapid spoke to the toothless nature of any deal without snap inspections. "You can't have an agreement without snap inspections," he said. "The inspectors should have the ability to pop up from the ground and say, 'we want to see that you are not developing anything that is forbidden behind closed doors.'

"Instead you have a committee and you have to ask the Iranians for permission before you go to inspect them."

"The Israeli Prime Minister is not to be blamed for the agreement, but is to blame for not being part of it," he added.

Lapid said the better option for Israel would have been to take an active role in the formation of the agreement. "We should have had a delegation in Vienna, we should have been participants – a nation with possible influence in the agreement," he argued.

The relationship between Netanyahu and the current American administration kept Israel from exerting influence, according to Lapid. "We should have had an open channel of communication with the American administration," he said.