Lapid tells JPost: Iran deal would be better without Netanyahu's speech to Congress

Israel would be in a better position to improve an impending nuclear deal between Iran and the West if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had not harmed relations with the US, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday."We think that there are too many centrifuges still there, and this is not harsh enough or strong enough toward the Iranians," Lapid said in an interview for the JPost Election Arena. "If things were as they used to be in the relationship between Israel and the United States, we would be able to makes some impact and change this deal for the better of Israel."Ties between the Prime Minister and US President Barack Obama, which have never been fully amicable, hit a new nadir when Netanyahu accepted an invitation from Republican House Speaker John Boeher to address a joint session of Congress on the Iran issue. The White House was not consulted prior to the invitation, and the speech has been seen as a move to undermine ongoing negotiations.