Netanyahu to keep fighting nuclear deal

JERUSALEM — President Barack Obama’s enlistment of sufficient support in Congress to push forward the nuclear deal with Iran has dealt a final blow to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign in Washington against the accord.

Yet the prime minister is giving no sign that he is about to change course or halt his public criticism of the accord, which sets curbs on Iran’s nuclear program but that Netanyahu warns still would allow Iran to retain the means to build a nuclear bomb.

Netanyahu’s attempts to lobby U.S. lawmakers against the deal fell short with the announcement Wednesday that 34 senators have pledged to uphold Obama’s promised veto of any effort to block the accord.

Diplomatically sidelined as the deal was signed and with Congress now offering no hope for a reprieve, Netanyahu suggested Thursday that he would take his message to the American people.

“An overwhelming majority of the American public sees eye-to-eye with us on the danger posed by Iran,” Netanyahu said. “It’s important to instill in American public opinion in the coming decade, and maybe beyond, the fact that Iran is an enemy of the United States. It openly declares this. And Israel is an ally of the United States. This understanding has important implications for our security.”

Analysts said Netanyahu was playing to his rightist political constituency, calculating that he did not stand to lose promised American defense aid because of his positions.