By Amjad Qaimkhani
WASHINGTON: Joe Kant levelled sharp criticism at Israel. The former US National Counter Terrorism Center director accused Tel Aviv of sabotaging talks with Iran. He spoke out after his resignation. Opposition to the war drove him from office.
Kant laid bare his view. De-escalation demanded one first step. Rein in Israel, he said. Without that curb, negotiations crumbled. Tel Aviv launched strikes at key moments. Talks derailed every time. Peace efforts bled out.
He spotted a clear pattern. President Donald Trump signaled calm from the White House. Public words urged restraint. Then Israel struck hard. Missiles flew south. US leverage withered fast. Iran dug in deeper. Conflict flared anew.
Kant resigned in protest. The war gnawed at him. Gaza’s shadow stretched long. Now Iran loomed larger. He broke silence on airwaves. Pundits leaned in close. His words cut through fog of diplomacy.
Washington faced a bind. Trump pushed dialogue. Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt shuttled messages. Back channels hummed just days ago. Yet Israeli jets roared overhead. Tehran read it as ploy. Trust evaporated like desert heat.
Analysts nodded at Kant’s read. Israel acted alone at times. Netanyahu’s government eyed threats. Hezbollah rockets still fell. Border clashes simmered. Strikes aimed to weaken foes. Talks suffered the fallout. US allies squirmed.
Kant warned of vicious cycle. Strikes begat retaliation. Hezbollah fired back. Civilians paid in blood. Two lay wounded in Israel. An 80-year-old gasped in hospital. Escalation fed on itself. Diplomacy starved.
