During Charleston visit, retired Israeli general praises Trump decision on Iran nuclear deal

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - A retired Israeli general visiting Charleston Wednesday says he supports President Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Iran Nuclear Deal.

Brigadier Gen. Yehiel Gozal said Israel cannot and will not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

"If President Trump would not do it, probably in, I don't know, how many months or years, Israel would have to act, because we cannot let them have a nuclear bomb," Gozal said. "The next time an Iranian leader says something, believe him. If he says that we should wipe Israel from the map and destroy (the) United States, you should believe him. So, if he has the capability to do it, he'll do it."

Gozal is speaking to Evangelical Christian ministers and their congregations Wednesday night in Charleston. His trip to Charleston as well as to Georgia and North Carolina is sponsored by Earl Cox, who has been recognized by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel's Goodwill Ambassador to Jews and Christians around the world.

Cox, an evangelical Christian who used to live in Charleston, is a staunch supporter of Israel. He says the Bible refers to Jews as God's chosen people many of whom live in what the Bible calls the Promised Land, and Cox believes that Promised Land is Israel.

"We are your friend, we are your allies, we love America," Gozal said. "We feel that we are the long arm of the Americans in the Middle East."

Copyright 2018 WCSC. All rights reserved.