Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu defended the State of Israel's decision to blacklist the Islamic Movement in Israel's northern branch Tuesday, noting the group's rampant terror activity. 

"Democracy must defend itself," he began. "It must defend itself against those who strive to subvert it."

"The northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel is undermining the state," he explained. "It incites violence against innocent people. It has close ties with the Hamas terrorist organization and it seeks to subvert the state in order to establish an Islamic caliphate in its place." 

"As the one who is responsible for the security of the state, I will not allow this," he continued. "And therefore, the Security Cabinet, under my leadership, decided to outlaw the northern branch of the Islamic Movement." 

Netanyahu clarified that the move was a security measure, not a move against the Muslim community. 

"We have nothing against Islam," he emphasized. "We have nothing against the Muslim citizens of Israel, who enjoy full equal rights, and the great majority of whom are law-abiding. But we will continue to act against those who incite and who encourage terrorism, wherever they are." 

"Our goal is to prevent incitement which contributes to terrorist attacks against innocent people; our goal is to defend the State of Israel," he concluded. "This is the obligation of any responsible leadership and it is my obligation."