Dr. Eyal Hulta
Dr. Eyal HultaGilad Kvalerchik

On Thursday, National Security Council head Dr. Eyal Hulta participated in the annual meeting of the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism at Reichman University, and addressed the issue of the deteriorating security situation in Judea and Samaria.

"The national directive is to operate with determination against the activities of terrorist gangs and to continue to enhance our presence along the seam-line," Dr. Hulta said. "We're in the run-up to elections right now, and the festivals are also coming up, and these two things have a broad-ranging impact. Time after time the question of the responsibility of the Palestinians for the situation has come up, and we always stress that we want to see the Palestinian Authority taking action against terrorism."

Regarding the situation on the northern border, Hulta said, "These days we are dealing with Nasrallah's threats and we have taken note of the increasing boldness of his operatives on the ground. Israel is interested in a stable Lebanon and we have no interest in seeing the country disintegrate - what we do want to see is Hezbollah's power weakened. Israel will not be deterred by Nasrallah's threats and we will continue to protect our interests, specifically in the field of energy. We will operate the Karish gas rig and implement the important agreements that have been signed, including those with Egypt and the European Union."

Dr. Hulta also discussed the situation in the south and the issue of Israel's soldiers and civilians in Hamas captivity. "Right now, the south is stable and we will continue to ensure that it remains that way. In the recent military operation, we succeeded in limiting its duration in time and it was a precise and targeted campaign. Here I would like to take the opportunity to publicly thank Egyptian President Sisi for his involvement. We are investing a lot of effort to reach a solution and a humanitarian agreement for the return of our missing soldiers and civilians, and I emphasize that this matter is of very great concern."

Hulta defined Iran as the greatest threat to the State of Israel. "Iran is the main and number one threat to Israel and has been for many years. Israel is committed to ensuring that Iran will not possess nuclear weapons. The political echelon opposes the international agreement under discussion as something that does not contribute to Israel's security. Our position is that the Iranian regime should be given to understand that if they do not agree to enter into a dialogue, they will be punished with sanctions. The political echelon and the prime minister are openly clarifying their position through an ongoing dialogue on the nuclear agreement currently being discussed and we are already seeing tangible results from these talks, with increased recognition being accorded to our positions and arguments. We are also making it clear that Israel will preserve its freedom of action as long as necessary. The agreement does not bind Israel and we will defend ourselves and prepare for all possible scenarios."

On the relationship between Israel and the USA, he said: "The USA was and will continue to be a central anchor and pillar of our national resilience. President Biden's commitment is clear and strong, and his visit to the country several months ago reflected this. The signing of the joint Jerusalem Declaration and the technological cooperation agreement demonstrate the strength of our ties. Although we have disputes on various issues, the US government is attentive and responsive to our security interests."