₦airaland Forum

Israeli media figures and commentators turned sharply against Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff this week, accusing two of US President Donald Trump’s closest Middle East envoys of helping push an Iran deal that many in Israel view as dangerous and incomplete.

The criticism came amid mounting Israeli concern over the emerging US-Iran memorandum of understanding, which critics say prioritizes regional calm and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz while leaving Iran’s nuclear program, missile program, and support for regional proxies for later negotiations.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel would continue to act to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, regardless of the agreement. Israeli officials also told Ynet that Netanyahu had made clear to Trump that Israel did not view itself as bound by the Lebanon clause in the agreement and would keep operating against Hezbollah threats.

But while Netanyahu avoided a direct public attack on Trump’s envoys, some Israeli commentators did not.

Channel 14, a right-wing Israeli television channel often described as Israel’s answer to Newsmax because of its strongly conservative, pro-Netanyahu editorial line and influence among right-wing viewers, carried some of the sharpest criticism.

Channel 14 anchor Tal Meir used her Monday morning program to criticize Kushner and Witkoff, accusing them of turning their backs on Israel “at the moment of truth.”

“They got a little confused in this event,” Meir said, according to Channel 14. “You are part of these people.”

Meir argued that Israel was defending the Jewish people as a whole, including Jews living outside the country.

“We are here, among other things, to defend you too,” she said. “In the end, this is your real home, and we are guarding it for you and for your future generations. And you turn your backs on us like this? Simply losers.”

Kushner and Witkoff painted as sell-outs
The comments reflected a broader emotional tone in parts of the Israeli right, where Kushner and Witkoff are being judged as American negotiators and as Jewish figures with a perceived obligation toward Israel.

Channel 14 also reported that Yinon Magal, host of The Patriots, attacked Kushner and Witkoff on X, writing that Trump had come out of the agreement looking like a “loser.” According to the report, Magal accused the two envoys of acting under Qatari pressure and “selling their brothers in Israel.”[b]

The anger toward Kushner and Witkoff has intensified because the two men had previously been praised in Israel for their role in hostage negotiations and Trump’s broader Middle East policy. Their current role in the Iran track has now made them targets for Israeli frustration over what many see as a rushed diplomatic process that does not meet Jerusalem’s security demands.

Ynet reported that the memorandum appears to fall short of four demands Netanyahu had set out only days earlier: removing Iran’s enriched uranium, dismantling enrichment infrastructure, limiting missile production, and ending support for terrorist proxies. According to the report, those goals are currently “not on the horizon.”

The media believes the US-Iran agreement falls short
The Israeli backlash is also linked to the structure of the agreement itself. Critics argue that the deal addresses the immediate crisis around Hormuz while pushing the hardest questions about Iran’s nuclear and regional military capabilities into a later stage

Channel 14 cited Israeli security officials warning that the agreement was based on a fragile structure, signed in American haste, and left the core of the nuclear threat without a real answer.

For now, the strongest public criticism of Kushner and Witkoff is coming from Israeli right-wing media rather than from official Israeli government statements. But the tone marks a significant shift from the praise the two envoys received in Israel only months ago.

Kushner and Witkoff, once viewed by many Israelis as trusted channels into Trump’s inner circle, are now becoming symbols of what critics describe as Washington’s willingness to prioritize a regional diplomatic win over Israel’s strategic concerns.

Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-899553#google_vignette

Mattswaggz:
They were still enriching recently regardless.

Read! Stop being ignorant. Trump pulled out of the JCPOA in 2015 and reimposed sanctions, and Iran had no obligation to stop enrichment or follow the agreement. Everyone knows they were enriching and have enrich up to 60%. I will say this deal is worst that who Obama and the EU negotiated in 2013.

CanadaOrBust:
That young Chinese want to leave is Western propaganda?? They even have their own "japa" word for it - "run", as shown below.
Same way US is struggling to keep people out, Chinese use all means to try to keep young people in.



All those countries you mentioned young people are NOT itching to leave and some have robust immigration.

You don't have to be a genius to see that China is on an irreversible downward trajectory.
More people are dying than are being born. Add to that, YOUNG people want to leave soon as they can (especially to US, while on the other side young people are struggling to enter US). What will be left is old folks. Add to that the looming debt time bomb!

The fact that you want it to happen doesn't mean it will. Having a preconceived mindset based on what you want to believe, and then looking for sources that support it, is the height of intellectual laziness and idiocy. It certainly doesn't deserve an intelligent discourse or my time.

Sheuns:
They have to be worried. In war, you don’t ever underestimate your enemy.

You must take every possible step to ensure your enemy never gets the advantage over you.

You don’t expect US to just sit back and relax and say “We’re world power, no one can topple us”.

US has presence in all continents of the world, both militarily and economically, that’s not something China or any other country can boldly brag of.

That’s how you keep your powers. Expand and conquer more. That’s what China is also doing now, by entering many markets around the world. That’s how influence is built.

It's understandable they're worried. China is rising fast, and the US can't stop it at this point. That said, China won't become the sole hegemon like the US, a multipolar world is emerging, and it will take time for the US to accept that after decades as the world's only superpower. The most dangerous period is between now and that acceptance, but the shift seems irreversible.

Global military presence is a double-edged sword. It allows power projection but at enormous cost; paying, feeding, and maintaining hundreds of thousands of troops and equipment, including 11 aircraft carriers with rotating crews, often without combat. That's why the US defence budget keeps growing (Trump's proposed $1.5T exceeds the next 10 countries combined), much of it just for operations and maintenance. It's unsustainable. It's a natural process for great powers as seen in Rome, the Dutch Republic, the Ottoman Empire, and Great Britain.

China's economic influence will naturally grow as it expands trading partners (it's already the top partner for most of the world). You can see some resemblance of it happening a week ago when China-backed Kyrgyzstan won a secret UN Security Council vote against US-backed Philippines

CanadaOrBust:
Meaning what exactly? Did I say I was happy China is on an irreversible downward trajectory? It is just a fact. Just same way I'd say Nigeria has serious insecurity problem due to Buhari and Tinubu. Doesn't mean I'm happy about it.
China was able to lift out of poverty mainly because US (mainly) opened her market and allowed China to dump cheap goods, while China closed her own market. Everything everywhere became made in China!

Yes, China has a demographic problem that will worsen over time, but so do most countries in Asia and Europe. See the list of approximate total fertility rates (births per woman). For context, a rate of 2.1 is considered the replacement level.

Country
South Korea ~0.7–0.8
Taiwan ~0.8–0.9
Singapore ~0.9–1.0
Hong Kong (SAR) ~0.8–1.0
Macau (SAR) ~0.7–1.0
Italy ~1.2
Spain ~1.2
Japan ~1.2–1.3
China ~1.0–1.2
Greece ~1.2–1.3

To say China is on an irreversible downward trajectory is laughable. There is absolutely no evidence to support that claim. China has grown at around 5% annually over the past five years—how many $20 trillion economies can achieve that? This year, China’s economy is expected to grow at roughly twice the rate of the US and contribute about 26% of global GDP growth, which is nearly three times the US contribution of around 9%. They also recorded the highest trade surplus in history last year, and it is projected to continue expanding this year. The “China decline” narrative has been repeated for more than 30 years, yet it has not materialized. In fact, during that period, China’s economy has grown from roughly $4 trillion to around $20 trillion—about a fivefold increase.

I agree that the US moving manufacturing and technology to China kick-started its development, but that was not done as charity. At the time, China had low-cost skilled labour and a large market, so US companies shared technology and provided investment to train workers to produce products for them. These were then sold in the Chinese market, with the surplus exported back to the US. US companies made substantial profits from this arrangement. For example, a Nike shoe produced in China for about $25 (including materials, labour, electricity, and other costs) is sold in the US for around $250. That is roughly $225 in value captured in the US. This made many CEOs and companies very wealthy, but often at the expense of the working class in these industries. China, in turn, used the revenues generated to uplift its population, develop world-class cities, and invest in education and infrastructure. It is also moving up the value chain, as it does not want to remain simply a production base for US companies. The US and many Western companies are not pleased with this shift, but it is the natural outcome of development. In fact, I do not doubt that China will continue to move up the manufacturing supply chain for the next 2-3 decades and will be a leader in many areas.

The claim that the US has closed its market is not entirely accurate. Just last year, the top 100 US companies generated a total of about $368 billion in revenue from China alone. Many US companies still have a large presence there. For example, KFC has more than 12,000 stores in China (almost twice the number in the US), Starbucks has more than 8,000, and McDonald’s has around 7,000 stores across the country and continues to expand. Even Microsoft controls more than 80% of the desktop operating system market in China. In 2019, before China’s EV expansion accelerated, General Motors sold more cars in China than in the rest of the world combined, although it has since been losing market share due to increased competition and a lack of innovation relative to local EV players. This does not seem like a country that is closed to US companies.

Sheuns:
The one who controls trade, finance and holds the largest military power becomes world power.

A large percentage of the world’s payment systems are owned or controlled by US corporations. US controls a large portion of the world’s economy.

They have the largest and strongest military in the world.

They have wealthy individuals and corporations.

It’ll take a major war and balkanization of the US for them to lose world power.

Population doesn’t matter, what you build and control is all that matters. That’s how it has been since time immemorial.

If the US have all these, then why are they worried? Why all the propaganda here and there? I know the rise of China can be scary; they rose from nowhere and are here now. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the US hasn't had any near-peer rival until China came, and they will be here for a while. The US will just have to accept it and live with it. This will take time, but they have no options than to accept.

CanadaOrBust:
Yes China had stupendous growth, but everyone is now saying they're on their way down, and it is irreversible

So why are you interested in their downfall? What do you gain as a Nigerian from China’s downfall? China lifted more than 800 million of her people out of poverty in less than 30 years. This has never been done in human history. A country that moved from being dirt poor country to one of the most technology advanced country in the world in less than three decades. Instead of you looking at what they have done right and try to implement it, you are looking and happy for their downfall. I understand that the US government as the world leader are not happy to have a peer competitor in China but how does that help you and your family. Let’s image China crashes today, will that improve your life and that of your children? Just think about it and stop consuming news and information not meant for you.

PulaPower:
Yes, it’s true..

iPhone is unique to every country..

A German iPhone is different from Chinese iPhone..

Just a very minor difference mainly to cater to the rules of the regions, but fundamentally they are the same and are likely produced in the same factory.

GeneralOuki:
They don't fund IDF budget, at least not in the way you think they do. And it's not because if of funding that made Israel stop producing their own fighter jets, the reason why they pressured Israel was because the Lavi was a direct competitor to the US jets .

IDF budget in a year is $30 billion, US military aid to Israel is just $3.6b, so tell me how they're funding IDF? Besides, the US military aid to Israel is not in cash transfer but a grant that Israel must spend within the US military complex. Not a single bit of that $3.6b leaves US shores. I don't think you know what you're talking about.

They will not need any US technology or supply, they built the Lavi which rivaled the F-16 without any US technology or supply or anything.

The F-35 is a product of Lockheed yes, but it's being co produced with Israel and other NATO countries, Israel just has an exclusive right to modify their version and theirs is not like the regular F-35s being produced by Lockheed. This is a very open knowledge my guy, try read more on this things.

Lol... You're not well versed on this subject, no doubt. Israel doesn't need US for everything. The entire US aid to Israel is less than 10% of Israel's annual budget. Their existence has never depended on the US support, this is the misconceptions that anti Israel people make, they erroneously think that without US the state of Israel will cease to exist, that's an ignorant thing to believe.

Their economy is self sufficient, they don't need the US, they produce so many military hardwares which are sort after by many European and Asian countries. They're very technologically advanced, you have to be to be able to develop the defence systems that they use, be able to modify the f-35 etc. Go and read up on the indigenous technologies produced in Israel. Go and take a look at their desalination technology which is the best in the world.

I don't have the strength for this pen.is swinging contest.

Just know that most Israeli technology depends on US IP and technology. Their entire semiconductor industry is US-based, and even when it's not directly US, they depend on US tools and IP. Even their almighty Iron Dome is heavily dependent on US technology. Most of their tech companies also rely heavily on money from the US, like Wall Street.

The US defense budget is more than $1 trillion, so what's $30 billion/year? Funding the IDF isn't just about giving money or weapons alone. A lot of the technology comes from what the US has developed because of their enormous R& investment. All this myth that Israel is an island, that they're some kind of superhuman with super intelligence who can do anything, is just bullshit. They are a regional military power propped up by a global superpower's supply chain. Without US tools, IP, and spare parts, their high-tech military grinds to a halt. They know this, that is which is why they are desperately trying to lock in the relationship permanently, not walk away from it, and they shouldn't.

GeneralOuki:
Because total reliance on a foreign system is a vulnerability, Israel has developed its own solutions that don't constitute a GNSS but do provide critical alternatives like the Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), spoofing and jamming, Israel is a world leader in anti-jam GPS antenna technology, allowing their receivers to work even when an enemy is trying to block the signal.

Israel did develop its own state-of-the-art fighter jet, the IAI Lavi, in the 1980s. It was a delta-wing, multirole combat aircraft, intended to be the backbone of the Israeli Air Force. The Lavi was a highly advanced design for its time, featuring a quadruplex digital fly-by-wire system and advanced avionics, almost all developed in Israel.
But In 1987, the Israeli cabinet, under immense political pressure from the U.S. government, voted to cancel the project by a very thin margin. The U.S. argued it would be a financial sinkhole and compete directly with American defense exports (specifically the F-16). The U.S. then offered more military aid packages as an alternative, which included co-production rights for the F-16. The F-35I "Adir" is the only F-35 variant in the world allowed by the U.S. to have a native, indigenous electronic warfare suite and custom data fusion and C4 systems grafted onto the American airframe. They can't build the engine, but they can make the brain of the aircraft Israeli, ensuring their operational independence.

Do it's not that they can't produce any jet fighter, it is that their partnership with US prevents them from doing so. They are very capable of building a home made fighter jets that can rival the very best In the game.

Many countries have INS systems, not just Israel. And many of their technologies are still dependent on U.S. IP and the global supply chain. Also, it is not a substitute for GNSS.

I didn’t say they can’t build jets; even Sweden and Turkey have their own fighter jets. They were pressured not to build theirs by the Americans because they fund a large part of the IDF budget. That is why America is their father. Even if they decide to build, they will need a lot of U.S. technology and supply chain.

No matter what you call the F-35, it is a product of Lockheed Martin, a U.S. company.

Israel needs the US for everything; their existence depends on the support of the US. The US provides them with economic, technological, and military lifelines. That’s why they listen to the US and spend money to gain influence.

Heffalump:
I'm forced to smile and wink at the same time whenever I see a statement like this. America is governed by the Jewish people for your information. The same way the entire West and Europe is firmly governed by jews. You've not seen anything yet.

This is an ignorant statement! There is no doubt that the influence of Jewish communities has grown in recent decades, largely due to the enormous pity and guilt many Western countries carry over the atrocities committed against Jews in the early 1900s. Millions were killed in cold blood across many European countries simply for being Jewish. Even those who did not directly participate did little to stop it.

After WW2, Jews were widely seen as victims and were protected. Many in the older generation still carry that sense of guilt and feel a responsibility to protect them. However, things have been changing recently because of the situation in Gaza. Many young people in the West, who do not share the same historical guilt over what happened to the Jews, are no longer viewing them primarily as victims but increasingly as aggressors, similar to how Russia is viewed in Ukraine.

If this continues, support will likely wane, and their influence in the West may reduce. In fact, this shift is already beginning to happen.

LordIsaac:
Israel can very much say so. America is what it is today because they have been in the camp of the Lord's chosen. They can only appeal to Israel.

US is the father, without their backing, how will the state of Isreal survive. They don’t even have their own GNSS, they relay on US GPS. They don’t current operate any domestically produced fighter jets, they are all produced by the US.

Thewrath:
It is not slave mentality,it is using what you have to get what you want!
It’s business!
Many of the minerals Africa got,they don’t even know what it is or it’s worth talking about more of what it’s used for! It’s thesame west that have educated everyone on its values and use!

You that don’t have slave mentality and you are bearing ponzi-ponzi, Onye master mentality!

It’s even worse than I thought. Your reasoning is poor. I’ve noticed a real dip in critical thinking among many Nigerian youth lately. They often just parrot ignorant takes without a second thought. I’m not sure if it’s the education system or just a general lack of effort.
How is someone supposed to engage this?

Livegamesonly:
ZAMBIA IS NOT IRAN. IRAN HAS MILITARY, NOT SURE ZAMBIA HAS ANY REASONABLE MILITARY...

Why should they have military to say no?

Thewrath:
What is Africa without US aid and support?
Technology we don’t have!
All our aircraft,weapons and ammunitions are bought from the west,we are not yet ripe for independence!

Even the so called mineral resources,how many African countries have been able to put good use to it?

Nigeria that has oil is still importing oil.

Not everyone have a slave mentality like you do. So, they should give out their resources for aids because they are not using it. People like you shouldn’t have children, it would do their generation a lot of service.

SeverusSnape:
Terrorist meeting terrorist. No issues.
They go continue dey collect from Israel and US hand. Two toilet paper tigers dogs.

And yet, Russia has one of the largest Jewish communities in the world. Nigeria has none, except some gum-bodies.

fineboynl:
Iran will soon collapse from within

The IRGC have limits the influence of Iran foreign minister with discrepancy with the US negotiation. The foreign minister is now moving with alot of security while the deputies is more prominent.

U.S intelligent have noticed a divides in jbut believe the IRGC

As of April 2026, severe divides have emerged between the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and political elites, characterized by a struggle for control over national security and diplomatic strategy. The death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in March 2026 removed the primary arbiter between these factions, allowing long-simmering tensions to spill into the open.

You guys are funny. I thought Trump has already changed the regime.

COVID-19? Who cares? That doesn’t mean anything again. It’s just as normal now as a cold.

You are lazy. If you took a few minutes to do your research instead of asking Grok, you will know that the PM of India, President of Brazil, Chancellor Olaf of Germany and many African Presidents have visited Nigeria in the last 2 years. Are you living under a rock?

olumaxi:
I marvel at the level of poverty that will be existing in North korea....this type of president will careless for his citizens

My brother, Nigeria is not any better. The only difference I see is that Nigerians are free to japa and say anything against their government. In terms of quality of life, most Nigerians are no better than many North Koreans. I will even say in terms of education and technical competence, they are far better than Nigerians, they can build rockets and nuclear facilities. Nigerians can't even build their roads, not to mention bridges.

nairalanda1:
So, how about many African countries who ended up under army rule, are they better than they were before Army rule?

Brazil self, was already developing before army rule took over. Thailand and Indonesia still have high levels of poverty. Spain has developed far more under civillian rule than under the rule of Franco. South Korea, yeah, I'll give you that....but South Korea is developed because it woke up and realized they did not have enough natural resources.

The problem with you guys is that you do not even want to do what South Korea did to be developed. You want a army government that would dash you money well well. And if democracy no dey dash una money, na army you want.

You don't want to do what Park OF korea did...allowed rich families to set up domestic industries that would export in return for them paying limited taxes, and getting government favors. ...meanwhile most of you start screaming oppressor when dangote gets some grant from government or something. And it took ten years of hardship, before the benefits started trickling in. Japan self, Japan took decades before it reaped the benefits of industires. And both korea and japan had large numbers of their people japa when times were hard.

South Africa that has been a democracy self, is better than Nigeria. How do you explain that.

I want tinubu out. But I don't want army rule. Army rule took us from bad in 1983, to worse in 1999. ANd let's not talk about 1966..where in one year time we had a brutal civil war on our hand

As I mentioned above, it is what the leader do with power that matters and not the form. Many African leaders are selfish, clueless and lack foresight. UAE, Qatar, SAudi Arabia, Bahrain etc are all monarch and are doing pretty well. Leaders matter. Also, the quality of life for an average person in Indonesia or Thailand is better than in 98% African counties including South Africa.

I didn’t say democracy is bad, it is good for some countries and terrible for some. In many African countries, democracy hasn't been that great to say the least. This may be because, democracy itself depends on the fact that the people choosing their leaders are expected to be knowledgeable enough to know what is good for them, unfortunately that’s not the case for most people in Africa. Give them N1000 and they will vote for you. Also, democracy itself is varied and takes different form; Singapore is a one-party democracy which is different from those UK or Canada.

I don’t follow Nigerian politics and don’t care. Nigeria is a cesspit of corrupt, clueless and arrogant people. Most of the leaders, no matter what divide they belong, will not change the country in a meaningful way. The mindset in Nigeria is flawed and I don’t see a meaningful change in this generation.

donleo92:
And he is some people's Messiah. Because he is against the west

The worst democracy is way better than military rule

That's my opinion.

People of bukina faso are crying bitterly, but you no go know

.

And how many have died in your country? People dying like chickens every day.

BTW, countries like South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Chile, Brazil, Spain etc all became what they are today because of the foundation left by decade of military rule. It is what the rulers do with the power that matters and not the form. Africans are generally wicked and lack foresight. Even democracy in African is a rouse, a country like Cameroon is considered democracy with the same president since 1982 and hasn’t made any meaningful impact for the country except living like a king and giving the resource of the country to their masters

Wotowotoman:
“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford" - Samuel Johnson

When Samuel Johnson lived in 16th century, London was the center of the world. Great Britain was the world power with a very large empire. Similar to what New York or Shanghai is today. Unfortunately, those are not true anymore. London is just an expensive financial city that is gloomy all the time. It’s no wonder they put so much effort to go colonize and live in other part of world.

Sirhush:
Lol how about people in Nigeria

That’s the real jungle.

The UK keh? People dey live there? Even people in the UK are leaving.

fineboynl:
the us intentionally devalued their currency last year. It fell worldwide

So won’t the devaluation of Yuan, if true, be a great news for China as an exporting country?

…and NO, it not worldwide. Here is India in the same period.

fineboynl:
lol do you know the number of countries that hold on the de Chinese currency?

The reason why china currency’ will never replace the us dollars . For those of you saying the dollar will fall and crash.

This is the strongest Chinese currency have been in over a year

Trump is funny. He can’t do that.

So funny. Trump is getting desperate everyday. He took a gamble that backfire in a spectacular fashion. He knows there is no chance to win this war without internal revolution in Iran. Just do what you can do, save face and save the world from unwarranted economic catastrophe.

CanadaOrBust:
When Israel can pinpoint their leaders and kill them you think they won't know if and where any nuclear activity is taking place.
Besides Iran would be preoccupied just trying to survive
This time is totally different from last time

I believe the only way anyone can stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon will be a ground invasion or internal revolution to dismantle the IRG, any other method is just a waste of time. All the countries that got nuclear weapons including China, India, Pakistan and recently N. Korean did it under the watchful eyes of the world. Iran is more than 90million people, even if US and Israel bomb straight for 10 years without ground invasion or stirring out a revolution, nothing will happen. You may not know much history, between 1964-73, the US dropped more than 2million bombs on Laos (estimated to be about 250 million cluster bombs) which was at then a population of only 2 million people. The bombs were dropped with high intensity at more than 500,000 times, that is, dropping bombs every 8 mins for 24hrs for 9 years. Still they couldn’t achieve any of their objectives because they didn’t do a ground invasion.

CanadaOrBust:
But you'll no longer see them thinking about enriching uranium. That's the point - their capacity to ever develop nuclear will be permanently removed

How is this true? That will only be possible if the US can scatter the IRG network and install a new pro-US government that the Iranians will accept. If not, they will only continue where they stopped after the war. Maybe even faster than before. Remember Trump said they destroyed their nuclear capabilities last summer, it turns out not to be true.

mohims:
The new Ayatollah is next on the list. His elimination is inevitable. All terrorist must die

All this doesn’t really matter. As long as there is no ground invasion, to dismantle Islamic group leading the country or an internal revolution that remove their network, I don’t thing anything much will be achieved. Just like nothing much has been achieved in Nigeria with BK even after Yusuf or Shakau were killed. There are many of them.