Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told journalists in Eilat Sunday evening he is working for international support for Israel vis-à-vis the Palestinian Authority and Iran. He asserted that the unprecedented freeze on Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria makes “clear to everyone the fact that Israel wants peace.”
He added, “I do not see that similar determination on the side of the Arabs. I see something else – conditions for negotiations and appeals to the World Court in Hague on the Goldstone Report,” which accused Israel of committing war crimes in the Operation Cast Lead counterterrorist campaign against Hamas nearly a year ago.
Referring to his speech several months ago at Bar-Ilan University, he said, “I was very particular in using the phrase ‘a demilitarized Palestinian Authority state' that recognizes Israel as a Jewish State. The Arabs must recognize the legitimacy of Israel and stop their attempt to negate our existence.”
Speaking on the eve of what was a planned visit with seven Cabinet ministers to Germany, Prime Minister Netanyahu also told the Eilat Journalists Conference that Israel has been working for several months to enlist worldwide support for stiff sanctions against Iran. The Prime Minister was forced to postpone the trip after being diagnosed with a viral Infection and mild fever Sunday night.
The trip, now scheduled for January, will mark the first time an Israeli government has convened in Berlin, which served as the headquarters of the Nazi regime that murdered and tortured six million Jews.
Turning to domestic issues in his speech Sunday, Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated his objective of developing southern Israel and areas outside of the urban centers. “We are going to bring the north and south of the country together. Development of construction and high-speed transportation links will encourage growth," he declared.
He noted that Israel has emerged from the global financial crisis in much better shape than most other countries.