Netanyahu's Geopolitical Gambit: The Hidden Agenda Behind Israel’s Outreach to Iranian Nation

By: A. Mahdavi

The geopolitical dynamics of Southwest Asia have accelerated at an alarming pace since Hamas launched its operation against Israel on October 7. In just under a year a series of shocking developments have unfolded with multiple red lines being crossed.

The most recent and incendiary event was Israel’s brazen assassination of Hezbollah leader Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon executed without regard for the collateral damage inflicted upon civilians. Yet the breakneck speed of these events should not allow us to lose sight of a crucial truth: liars must never be trusted.

Netanyahu's Strategy of Deception

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently addressed the people of Iran proclaiming that Israel’s aim is to "liberate" them from their rulers insisting that there is no enmity between the Jewish and Iranian peoples. This diplomatic overture is a transparent ploy. Far from a genuine appeal for peace Netanyahu’s rhetoric reveals Israel’s ambition to fracture the social fabric within Iran seeking to exploit internal divisions to weaken the Islamic Republic. His words are a thinly veiled strategy to create rifts between the Iranian populace and their government sowing discord in hopes of ultimately toppling the regime.

However one must question the authenticity of Netanyahu’s purported concern for the Iranian people. Is this outreach driven by sympathy or by cynical self-interest? His remarks betray an ulterior motive: to instrumentalize Iranian grievances for Israel’s gain minimizing its own casualties and costs. Upon even a cursory examination of Netanyahu’s message it becomes abundantly clear that his aim is not to support the Iranian people but to destroy Iran leveraging their discontent for Israel’s imperial objectives.

This manipulation is evident in his framing of the issue in terms of "Jews" and "Iran" deliberately juxtaposing religion and ethnicity. Netanyahu's choice not to distinguish between Jews and Muslims or Israelis and Iranians is no accident. His calculated use of these terms underscores a religiously charged hierarchical worldview rooted in distorted Biblical teachings. According to certain interpretations of the Jewish Bible if a people refuse to make peace or submit their land can justifiably be annihilated. This distorted theology combined with the long-standing belief in Jewish supremacy and the divine right to rule has fostered Israel’s uncompromising stance toward other peoples and religions for generations.

Exploiting Internal Divisions

Netanyahu’s tactics go beyond mere rhetoric; they are part of a longstanding cynical strategy of exacerbating internal strife within enemy nations. Israel has used this playbook in Lebanon where it selectively targets Hezbollah while sparing other communities such as the Druze thereby fostering divisions among Lebanon's internal factions. This divide-and-conquer approach has yielded valuable intelligence and strategic gains for Israel at the expense of Lebanon’s internal cohesion.

Netanyahu now seeks to replicate this strategy in Iran. His broader aim is clear: after Hezbollah falls Israel will turn its sights on Lebanon's remaining ethnic groups as there will be no significant obstacles left to its conquest. This strategy which has been deployed countless times throughout history consistently yields the same tragic result: the belated realization by those who failed to unite that their divisions only served to further their enemy’s cause.

The Hollow Promises of the Deceiver

History provides ample evidence of Netanyahu’s duplicity. His promise of solidarity with the Iranian people is nothing more than a cynical ploy designed to serve his own interests. His record speaks for itself: time and again he has prioritized his political ambitions over the well-being of his own citizens prolonging conflicts for personal gain while sacrificing Israeli hostages and civilians. His actions cannot be separated from the broader context of U.S. interests as he has deftly aligned his personal agenda with Washington’s geopolitical objectives. This alignment has enabled him to perpetrate criminal acts with impunity shielded by the cover of American support.

The people of Iran Lebanon and the wider region must be vigilant. Israel has demonstrated repeatedly that it places little value on human life—whether Israeli hostages or regional civilians. Netanyahu's promises to Iranian dissidents are hollow designed solely to reduce Israel’s military costs in its aggressive campaigns. Should his schemes succeed the devastation will be immense with entire swaths of the region laid to waste. Netanyahu's Israel and his personal ambitions will always come first with the lives of others treated as mere collateral.

Arab leaders must also take heed: Israel's ambitions do not stop at Iran. Once it has dismantled its current adversaries Israel will undoubtedly turn its attention to those who have foolishly believed themselves to be immune. In this game of imperial expansion neutrality is a mirage and those who refuse to take a stand now will pay the heaviest price in the future.