Zionist Union leader Issac Herzog spoke shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave his address to the US Congress on Tuesday, saying that the premier's speech had done nothing to stop Iran's nuclear program.
Speaking at a community on the Gaza border, Herzog said, "There is no doubt that Netanyahu is a good speaker, But let's be honest, the speech we heard today, as impressive as it was, did not stop the Iranian nuclear program."
Herzog said that "the painful truth is that, behind the applause, Netanyahu remains alone. And the negotiations with Iran will continue without any Israeli involvement."
Addressing Iran's nuclear program, Herzog said that no Israeli leader would accept a nuclear Iran. "The determination to prevent Iran from attaining a nuclear weapon goes across continents and across party lines. As prime minister, I am obligated to form the widest possible international front to ensure Israel's security demands are met."
"The question is not if the emerging nuclear deal is bad. The question is how do we prevent a bad deal," Herzog said.
The Zionist Union chief accused Netanyahu of causing a dangerous rift with Washington.
"This speech is a very harsh wound to Israel-US relations," Herzog said. "It will not change the position of the administration and will only widen the rift with Israel's greatest ally and strategic partner."
Herzog said that all of Israel would be made to pay the price for the rift with Washington.
Meretz leader Zehava Gal-On accused the premier of "chutzpa" for bad-mouthing the emerging nuclear deal with Iran.
"It's like David Cameron coming to the Knesset and telling Netanyahu that he is endangering the security of Israel," she said.
She said that Netanyahu had made himself "irrelevant" on the subject of Iran. "I hope that after this speech he will also become irrelevant as an Israeli politician."