Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu stated that Israel's alliance with the US remains strong despite the current dispute with the Obama Administration over the passage of an anti-Israel resolution at the UN Security Council and Secretary of State John Kerry's speech Wednesday blaming Israel for the failure of the peace process.
Netanyahu made the remarks at the graduation ceremony for Israel Air Force (IAF) recruits who completed the pilots course Thursday. Also attending the ceremony were IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot and IAF Commander, Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel.
"I give thanks to the US Congress and the US government for the defense aid to Israel, including the magnificent aircraft, the Adir (F-35). The alliance between our two nations is strong and enduring, even when there is a disagreement between us. And it reflects the depth of the support of the American people [for] the State of Israel. I look forward to working with the new administration to further strengthen the security of our two countries. A strong Israel is an asset to the United States and a guarantee of stability in the Middle East " Netanyahu said in his speech at the ceremony.
Netanyahu also addressed the current violence and instability across the Middle East while telling the new pilots how vital their role is in guaranteeing Israel's safety. "The fire [of Islamic extremism] is destroying all that is good. The massacres carried out against innocent people. The endless flow of refugees to other continents. With all due respect to those who talk about the 'root' of the conflict in the Middle East, this is a terrible disaster. The real crisis that has engulfed the region is not our conflict with the Palestinians, which is relatively marginal, but the collapse of entire nations and states. In a few months more people were killed in Syria, Yemen and Sudan killed than in the 100 years of our conflict with the Palestinians. "