Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Wednesday), at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, met with US Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and thanked him for visiting Jerusalem and for his unwavering support for the State of Israel, especially at this time.

Prime Minister Netanyahu told Senator Scott: "I thought the US decision in the Security Council was a very, very bad move. The worst part about it was that it encouraged Hamas to take a hard line and to believe that international pressure will prevent Israel from freeing the hostages and destroying Hamas."

"My decision not to send the delegation to Washington in the wake of that resolution was a message to Hamas: Don't bet on this pressure, it's not going to work. I hope they got the message," Netanyahu said.

The prime minister referred to the passage of a Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza during the month of Ramadan on Monday. In response to the resolution, which the US refused to veto, Netanyahu canceled a planned delegation that was scheduled to go to Washington to discuss Israel's upcoming operation in Rafah with American officials.