Israel on 'Alert' for Iran Regime Change, Predictably
When Al-Monitor quotes Israeli officials speaking of 'critical' days for the Iranian government, it's less news and more a recurring segment from a political sitcom. This isn’t a new development; it's a standard feature of Israeli foreign policy rhetoric that has echoed through the decades. Benjamin Netanyahu, for example, has been predicting the imminent collapse of the Iranian government since
at least the late 1990s, proclaiming similar 'critical' junctures in 2002, 2006, 2012, and 2015. (Sources: *Haaretz*, May 9, 2002; *The New York Times*, Sept. 27, 2012). One might wonder if this endless cycle of 'imminent collapse' predictions serves less as a factual forecast and more as a convenient narrative to maintain a perceived existential threat, thereby justifying robust military aid
packages from the United States. While Al-Monitor focuses on Israeli 'alerts,' it generally sidesteps the considerable lobbying efforts, like those from AIPAC, that ensure U.S. lawmakers remain attentive to these 'critical' threats. Perhaps the 'next few days' are always critical when the alternative is peace.