Israel Katz
Israel KatzEliran Aharon

Transport and Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud) spoke Thursday at the Zionist Congress that convened at the Binyanei Hauma Center on the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Balfour Declaration.

Minister Katz spoke about the historic right of the Jewish people in its historic homeland, criticized the Palestinian Authority and its supporters who are attempting to erase Jewish history, and conveyed a threatening message to Iran.

He said that the Balfour Declaration "was only fulfilled thirty-one years later, but the basis for establishing a state for the Jewish people in the Land of Israel was set on that historic day. "

"Even though we lost about a third of our people in the Holocaust, Zionism did not surrender, and no one could deny us our natural and historic rights in the Land of Israel.

"These days, when quite a few organizations and regimes are trying to undermine the eternal Jewish connection to the Land of Israel, it is more important than ever to be proud of who we are, the way we have lived, and the justice of our path.

He slammed international organizations, such as UNESCO, for attempting to deny the Jewish people's connection to the Land of Israel. "The embarrassing decisions made by UNESCO in the past year, which undermine the connection of the Jewish people to the heritage of our ancestors, the Western Wall, the Tomb of the Patriarchs, Rachel's Tomb, and the historical sites in Judea and Samaria, will be a sign of disgrace for this organization."

"UNESCO can make hundreds of decisions on this manner, and the proper Zionist response would be to raise our heads proudly and declare loudly: No decision in any international forum will undermine our connection to the Land of Israel and Jerusalem.

"There is no longer a people that for so many years managed to maintain such a connection, even when it was scattered all over the world.

He accused the Palestinian authority of rewriting history to deny Israel's right to exist. "The Palestinians and others who are trying to rewrite history with the constant desire to negate the connection and sever the bonds between the people of Israel and the Land of Israel and between the State of Israel and Jerusalem, our eternal capital, will not succeed."

"Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the people of Israel since King David established his residence, and it served as the capital of all the kings of the house of Judah. No one can sever the connection between the Jewish people and Greater Jerusalem, the eternal and united capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years and forever!"

Addressing the Iranian threat, Katz said: "In every generation there are those who seek to destroy the Jewish state and fails. In this generation that role has been taken by the Iranians."

"We will never allow Iran to have nuclear weapons. And we must cut off the axis of Shi'ite terror created by the war in Syria. I warn Khamenei, Rouhani, and Suleimani: If you continue to undermine and threaten the State of Israel, you will disappear before long. We have many capabilities, and those who threaten us will pay the full price!

He concluded with a quote from Revisionist Zionist leader Ze'ev Jabotinsky: "Our rights, which are eternal and complete and shall not be relinquished. There is no shortcut to Zion, and Zion is ours in its entirety.”