Israel’s expertise with long-range missiles far surpasses that of Iran, Deputy Knesset Speaker Nissim Vaturi, of the Likud Party, told JNS in a recent interview.
Vaturi, a member of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, had previously told Israeli media that while the Iranians have Persian rugs, the Israelis have “the textile factory.”
“Israel taught the Iranians how to produce surface-to-surface missiles during the time of the Shah,” he told JNS at his Knesset office in Jerusalem. “Israel possesses long-range missile capabilities that enable us to reach them. This is something they need to understand. Even if they believe they are powerful, even if they think they can reach us, we can certainly reach them,” he added.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that if Iran does not reach a deal with Washington on its nuclear program, “it will be a very bad day for that country and, very sadly, its people,” as the American military buildup in the region continued.
According to figures compiled by Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, more than 200 U.S. fighter aircraft are currently deployed in the Middle East, and over 300 when those based in Europe are included.
Israel is monitoring the deployments as part of close coordination between the Israel Defense Forces and the Pentagon.
A third round of indirect talks between Washington and Tehran is scheduled for Thursday in Geneva. Axios reported that the sides are expected to “discuss a detailed Iranian proposal for a nuclear deal,” a draft of which the Trump administration anticipated receiving by Tuesday.
“I wouldn’t say that I support the negotiations with Iran,” Vaturi said. “I think the language in the Middle East is force. The ruling government and decision-makers in Iran need to be hit hard. It will benefit the citizens because they are suffering. Funds are invested in supporting terror proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah instead of being invested in education and civilians’ lives,” he added.
Addressing reports that Hezbollah may act in support of Iran in a future confrontation, Vaturi said Israel has continued operations against the Iranian terror proxy since the ceasefire took effect in November 2024. “Every time someone from Hezbollah lifts his head, we neutralize him. It will continue up to the point of confrontation, and Israel is preparing for that,” he said.
A member of the Caucus for Strengthening the Settlement Enterprise, Vaturi said that regarding sovereignty over the entire Land of Israel, Israelis are currently taking steps in the Gaza Strip aimed at restoring settlements in the northern part of the enclave.
“They enter Gaza planting trees. During Passover, 10,000 people or more will conduct activities there in favor of restoring the settlements,” he said. “The biggest penalty, the harshest sentence, is to reclaim the land we voluntarily gave up. They received all of Gaza, but it did not help. They do not want a country. We gave them land and evacuated all Jews from it. They want all of the Land of Israel. That is why we must continue to act, plant trees and settle the land,” he said.
Last year, during a demonstration in central Jerusalem in support of expelling the Palestinian population of Gaza and reestablishing Jewish settlements there, Vaturi said, “I don’t understand why there are still Arabs in the Gaza Strip. Transfer is not a dirty word. Trump is giving us his full backing and we need to turn to countries that protect them and they should absorb them.”
Discussing the inaugural meeting on Feb. 19 of Trump’s Board of Peace for Gaza, Vaturi said he views positively the fact that a body other than the United Nations is addressing the issue.
“There is only one thing we won’t have, and that is the Turks and the Qataris on the ground in Gaza. It will not happen because for us it is worse than Hamas, which we are neutralizing. There cannot be an international force firing in the direction of Israel the way Hamas does. What we want is to neutralize Hamas and destroy terror tunnels as per Trump’s 20-point plan,” he said.
On the possibility of a Palestinian police force being deployed in Gaza, Vaturi said it would depend on who comprises it, but that is not likely to be anyone currently involved in the Palestinian Authority. He added that his preference is for the Israel Defense Forces to provide on-the-ground security.
As a former vice president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean during the mandate of Moroccan President Enaam Mayara, which recently concluded, Vaturi said the experience reflected strong ties between Israel and Morocco, one of three countries to ratify the Trump-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020.
“I said that if the Palestinians planned to use the body to attack Israel, I would leave. The president strongly recommended I stay and emphasized the importance of Israel’s presence. I told him that if anyone could bring about peace between the Arabs and Israel, it would be Morocco. Seventy percent of Likud party members are of Moroccan origin,” he said.
A resident of Alonei Habashan in the eastern Golan Heights, Vaturi holds a Bachelor of Arts in Law and also served partially in the 23rd Knesset.
Among the legislation he has sponsored, Vaturi cited the Anti-Racketeering Bill, which, after being approved in final readings, defines new offenses related to the collection of protection money. He sponsored it together with Otzma Yehudit lawmaker Yitzhak Kroizer and former Otzma Yehudit lawmaker Almog Cohen.
He also pointed to the Criminal Information and Rehabilitation of Offenders Bill, recently approved in the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, which would allow employers to verify whether a candidate has supported or supports terrorism.
“The police will compile a list of those who support Hamas and they won’t be able to get a job. By law, it was not possible to do so until now,” he said.
Other measures he backs include the death penalty for terrorists convicted of killing Israelis and a law to split the role of the attorney general, transferring the authority to investigate or prosecute the prime minister, ministers and legislators to the state attorney, subject to approval by a three-member committee.
Vaturi discussed his initiative to promote tax and economic benefits for IDF soldiers, arguing that those who served the country should receive priority in employment, housing benefits and access to higher education.
As chair of the Committee for Oversight of the Israeli Citizens’ Fund, which collects tax revenue from natural gas and other natural resources and oversees its allocation to fulfill long-term socioeconomic objectives, Vaturi said that, alongside security, the cost of living will be a central issue in the 2026 legislative elections.
“There is a lot to do regarding the cost of living. We see the difficulties on the streets and we need to give more to the citizens,” he said.
He also addressed legislation aimed at lowering living costs, including the so-called “Uber” law, introduced by Likud lawmaker Moshe Passal and Kahol Lavan lawmaker Eitan Ginzburg to break taxi monopolies, and Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s dairy reform, which would eliminate protective tariffs of up to 40% on imports.
Smotrich has said that three companies—Tnuva, Tara and Strauss — control 85% of the market and charge prices more than 50% higher than abroad. Opening the market to imports and reducing domestic production, he argues, would provide meaningful relief to consumers.
“I don’t like the dairy reform. I don’t think it will reduce prices. The prime minister asked me to vote in favor in the preliminary reading to give it time, and I did so. It is now in committee. If it does not lead to lower prices and benefit citizens, I won’t vote in favor,” Vaturi said.
“Bringing Uber to Israel, if it positively impacts citizens, would be great —but not if it harms taxi drivers. We cannot let down thousands of Israelis working in a specific industry. The same logic applies to the dairy reform. Reducing prices is great, but we must take into consideration people who might lose their jobs,” he added.
