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3. Israeli Minister Calls Iran Ceasefire a ‘Mistake,’ Questions Its Durability

Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli has criticized the ceasefire with Iran as a “mistake,” casting doubt on its durability while defending Israel’s military gains in the conflict.

Chikli, a member of the ruling Likud party, said, “I think it was a mistake to go to a ceasefire at this time,” arguing that adversaries like Iran must be decisively defeated. “Countries like these… you need to bring them to their knees,” he added.

Chikli said he sees only a “50% chance” that the ceasefire will hold, underscoring skepticism within parts of the Israeli leadership over the agreement’s prospects.

Despite his criticism of the truce, he praised what he described as major achievements during the conflict. Chikli dismissed claims that Israel had suffered setbacks, saying such views were limited to “left-wing commentators in the United States and Israel, and the remnants of the Revolutionary Guards.”

He also argued that the war had significantly weakened Iran’s regional position. “Iran lost its status as a regional power,” he said, adding that its “Axis of Resistance has collapsed.”

Chikli further maintained that Israel had reshaped the regional balance. “I look at whether we brought about massive achievements, whether we created a new reality in the north, on the border with Gaza, in the Middle East? The answer is yes, yes, and yes,” he said.