{"id":91052,"date":"2026-01-04T12:23:31","date_gmt":"2026-01-04T17:23:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/?p=91052"},"modified":"2026-01-04T12:23:31","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T17:23:31","slug":"netanyahu-israel-backs-iranian-protest-movement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/netanyahu-israel-backs-iranian-protest-movement\/","title":{"rendered":"Netanyahu: Israel backs Iranian protest movement"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>By JOSHUA MARKS<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta-str\"><span class=\"light-weight-content\">(<em>JNS.org<\/em><\/span><span class=\"light-weight-content\">) \u2013&nbsp;<\/span>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced support on Sunday for anti-regime protests in Iran, telling his Cabinet that Jerusalem stands with Iranians seeking freedom amid the country\u2019s widening unrest and that this may be a pivotal moment in their fight for change.<\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_91053\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GovtMeeting4January4.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-91053\" class=\"wp-image-91053 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GovtMeeting4January4-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GovtMeeting4January4-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GovtMeeting4January4-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GovtMeeting4January4-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GovtMeeting4January4-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GovtMeeting4January4.jpg 1600w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/200;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-91053\" class=\"wp-image-91053 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GovtMeeting4January4-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GovtMeeting4January4-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GovtMeeting4January4-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GovtMeeting4January4-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GovtMeeting4January4-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GovtMeeting4January4.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-91053\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks about the struggle of the Iranian people to protest their government at the January 4, 2026 meeting of his cabinet. (Ma&#8217;ayan Toaf \/ GPO)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe government of Israel, the State of Israel, and my policy: We identify with the struggle of the Iranian people, with their aspirations for freedom, liberty and justice,\u201d the premier said. \u201cIt is very possible that we are standing at the moment when the Iranian people are taking their fate into their own hands.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Netanyahu recalled how his discussions with President Donald Trump during his recent visit to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jns.org\/full-remarks-netanyahu-at-jns-event-in-florida\/\">Florida<\/a>&nbsp;took place at the \u201cbeginning of the developing, dramatic events\u201d in Iran, briefly referencing Trump\u2019s social media post on Jan. 2 in which he vowed that Washington would intervene if the Iranian regime violently suppresses the protests.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a post on his Truth Social platform,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jns.org\/trump-vows-us-action-if-iranian-regime-cracks-down-on-protests\/\">Trump<\/a>&nbsp;wrote that if \u201cIran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters,\u201d Washington will \u201ccome to their rescue,\u201d adding that the U.S. is \u201clocked and loaded and ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Netanyahu also addressed the coordination between Washington and Jerusalem over the Islamic Republic\u2019s nuclear program in the context of his talks with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Dec. 29.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe reiterated our joint position of zero enrichment on one hand, and the need to remove the 400 kilograms of enriched material from Iran and oversee the sites with tight and genuine supervision,\u201d the prime minister stated.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At least 16 people have been killed in a week of nationwide protests, rights groups said on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anger over soaring inflation and a plunging currency has fueled the biggest demonstrations in three years, with the unrest spreading and drawing a harsh response from security forces. Protesters have taken to the streets in more than 170 locations across 25 of Iran\u2019s 31 provinces, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Iranian regime has also been grappling with the reimposition of international economic sanctions over Tehran\u2019s nuclear violations. The United Nations sanctions followed the \u201csnapback\u201d mechanism triggered in late 2025. The Islamic Republic is also struggling with its worst&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jns.org\/netanyahu-israel-ready-to-solve-irans-water-shortages\/\">water crisis<\/a>&nbsp;in decades and a worsening electricity crisis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u200bSupreme Leader Ayatollah Ali&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jns.org\/khamenei-rioters-must-be-put-in-their-place\/\">Khamenei<\/a>&nbsp;on Saturday addressed the mounting unrest in the Islamic Republic, saying, \u201cProtesting is legitimate, but protesting is different from rioting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe talk with protesters. The officials must talk with the protesters. But, there\u2019s no point in talking with a rioter. Rioters must be put in their place,\u201d the Iranian dictator wrote on X.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His tweet was an apparent response to the&nbsp;threat issued&nbsp;the previous day by Trump.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Senior Iranian officials are warning of a fierce response if Trump follows through on his threat to intervene should Tehran use lethal force against demonstrators.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz tweeted on Saturday, \u201cThe Iranian regime\u2019s whining to the U.N. ignores decades of sponsoring terrorism and crushing their own people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">America and Trump \u201cstand firmly with Iranians yearning for freedom!\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Waltz referred to a letter that Tehran submitted to the U.N. Security Council on Friday, protesting Trump\u2019s threat as a \u201cviolation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The letter urged the Security Council to condemn Washington\u2019s statements, claiming that the Islamic Republic will \u201cexercise its rights decisively and proportionately.\u201d<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_toolbar\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_t=new Array(\"Twitter\",\"Facebook\",\"Google Plus\",\"Pinterest\",\"Linkedin\",\"Tumblr\",\"Email\");var hupso_background_t=\"#EAF4FF\";var hupso_border_t=\"#66CCFF\";var hupso_toolbar_size_t=\"medium\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_url_t=\"\";var hupso_title_t=\"Netanyahu%3A%20Israel%20backs%20Iranian%20protest%20movement\";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/share_toolbar.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,27],"tags":[208,1781,184,8781,518],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91052"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=91052"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91052\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":91054,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91052\/revisions\/91054"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91052"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=91052"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=91052"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}