‘Netanyahu Should Quit As He Failed To Stop Iran Deal’: Former Israeli FM

Former Israeli Finance Minister Yair Lapid Tuesday urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to quit as a result of his failure to block a deal between Iran and six world powers regarding Tehran's nuclear program. The deal, which reduces Iran's stockpile of fissile material and dismantles some of its nuclear research sites, was finalized earlier Tuesday.

Lapid, who serves as the head of the Yesh Atid party, called Netanyahu’s diplomatic campaign against Iran a “colossal failure.”

“He should resign because if you promise for years that only you can prevent this deal and then it’s signed -- you’re responsible,” Press TV quoted Lapid as saying. “No matter how we look at it, this is a personal failure for Netanyahu, who has been promoting himself for two decades now on one central agenda alone: preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear capability.”

Lapid is not the only one to criticize Netanyahu's Iran policy. Columnist Ben Caspit, the Zionist Union MK- member of the Knesset Shelly Yacimovich and the Zionist Union’s Isaac Herzog also were highly critical.

President Obama said that the Iran deal was one step closer to a “more hopeful world,” Reuters reported. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the deal had proved “constructive engagement” worked. However, Israel said the deal was an “historic surrender.” The Jewish nation said that it would do whatever possible to kill the deal.

While negotiators worked out the agreement, it still will be debated in the U.S. Congress. Obama vowed to veto any effort to block the nuclear deal.