Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered remarks on Sunday at a Cabinet meeting upon his return from the US and discussed what he called a successful trip.
“Until today, we have succeeded in obtaining tremendous achievements in the war. I am just returning from a historic visit to Washington DC, where I met with President Donald Trump, senior members of his administration, and the heads of the Senate and Congress,” the Prime Minister opened.
“This visit,” said Netanyahu, “and the talks we held with the President of the US, convey additional tremendous achievements that can ensure Israel's security for many generations. I'm not exaggerating, I'm not inflating the situation. There are opportunities for possibilities here that we haven’t even dreamed of, or at least until a few months ago did not seem possible – but now they are possible.”
He continued to say, “We had a very warm, very detailed, very decisive meeting. We discussed all the main issues that are currently on the agenda. We have registered many achievements, but many challenges are still ahead of us. President Trump praised all of our achievements; first and foremost the crushing of the Iranian axis. He was very impressed with the actions we took. I told him that all of this is a result, first and foremost, of the determined fight of our heroic soldiers and the sacrifices of the fallen. In addition to this, the resilience of the people and the determined and informed policy that we led, was our underlying force.”
Netanyahu added: “We agreed that we must achieve all the goals of the war that we have set: the elimination of Hamas, the return of all our hostages, ensuring that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel, the return of all the residents in the north and the south to their homes, and of course, to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.”
“President Trump also presented a different vision for the 'day after.' For the entire year, we have been told that on the 'day after,' we need the Palestinian Authority in the Gaza Strip. He came with a completely different vision, a much better vision for Israel. This is a revolutionary, creative vision – and we are discussing it. He is very determined to implement it to completion. This opens up many possibilities for us as well,” he elaborated.
“This visit, on which, of course, I will be able to elaborate in more detail in the appropriate forums, constitutes a historic turning point for the State of Israel. At the same time, of course, we are enforcing the cease-fire agreements. This requires us to take action, sometimes with fire to enforce them. We are doing this in the south as well as in the north. I have given an instruction tonight that no one may reach the perimeter and no one will penetrate the perimeter. This is part of the agreement, we will enforce it. We will enforce it decisively. We expect Hamas to meet all of its commitments – and this is one of them,” concluded Prime Minister Netanyahu.