More Quotes
“There’s one claim about the Iran deal that is the most outrageous: that those who oppose it want war. That’s utterly false. We in Israel don’t want war. We want peace. Because it’s we who are on the front lines.
We face Iran’s terror on three borders. We face tens of thousands of Iranian rockets aimed at all our cities. We face Iran, whose regime repeatedly calls for the destruction of the Jewish state. We face Iran whose terrorist proxies try to kill Jews every day. We know that Iran is not only the leading state sponsor of terrorism, it’s also the leading state sponsor of anti-Semitism.
Israelis are going to be the ones who pay the highest price if there’s war and if Iran gets the bomb. The claim that we oppose this deal because we want war is not just false. It’s outrageous. Israel wants to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program and Israel wants peace. This deal will advance neither goal.
I don’t oppose this deal because I want war. I oppose this deal because I want to prevent war, and this deal will bring war.” (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, via Facebook, 04/08/2015)
“We intend to fight Jewish terrorism with determination and without compromise … This is a struggle over the character of the State of Israel, and we have no intention of giving up this fight … The [Security] Cabinet took important decisions yesterday, including my recommendation to use administrative detention against Jewish terrorists and extremists … The goal of this step is to limit terrorists and those who are involved with terrorism, in cases where we have clear knowledge of their involvement but have evidentiary difficulties to arrest them.” (Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon in a statement, 03/08/2015)
“This is a time to join together. The law enforcement and the legal system will find the murderers, and bring them to justice. Taking the law into one’s own hands, and submitting to acts of violence, is to award a prize to the terrorists.”
“We are faced with a determined and dangerous, ideological group, which aims to destroy the fragile bridges which we work so tirelessly to build.” (Israeli President Reuven Rivlin speaking at a solidarity rally in Zion Square in Jerusalem, 1 August 2015. Read the speech in full here.)
“I am shocked over this reprehensible and horrific act. This is an act of terrorism in every respect. The State of Israel takes a strong line against terrorism regardless of the perpetrators. I have ordered the security forces to use all means at their disposal to apprehend the murderers and bring them to justice forthwith. The Government of Israel is united in its strong opposition to such deplorable and awful acts. On behalf of Israel’s citizens I would like to share in the sorrow of Ali Dawabshe’s family & wish quick recovery to injured family members. (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement released on 31/07/2015)
“What we have is a regime on a roll [Iran] that is trying to conquer the Middle East and it’s not Israel talking, that is our Sunni Arab neighbours — and you know what? I’ll use another expression – that is our Sunni Arab allies talking.” (Israeli MFA Director General Dore Gold at a presentation by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, 29/07/2015)
“I completed four degrees in Middle East history, specializing in Israel’s foreign relations, and must confess that, before 2000, I scarcely heard of Levi Eshkol. And what I did know about him was far from inspiring.
That year, though, I began research for a book on the 1967 Six-Day War. Published by Oxford in 2002, “Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East,” became a best seller. Later, I wrote on article derived the book and entitled, “Eshkol–The Forgotten Hero.” That title, fortunately, is no longer accurate. Israel’s third prime minister is now regarded as one of our most outstanding.
In contrast to his lackluster image, Eshkol was a dynamic leader–a visionary and a doer. Famous for his warm Jewish wit, he was also steel-willed in the face of adversity and unflagging in his commitment to Israel’s security.
My research led me to one unassailable conclusion: the real hero of the Six-Day War was none other than Levi Eshkol. Today, as the Knesset honored the 120th anniversary of his birth, all of Israel recognizes his heroism.” (Kulanu MK Michael Oren, via Facebook, 27/07/2015)