PM Netanyahu addresses Knesset plenum

During my recent visit to Washington, I set two goals: the first goal was to
clarify that Israel has the right to defend itself by itself against any
danger. The second goal was to raise the threat of Iran's nuclear armament
to the top of the international community's list of priorities.

Note: By law, 40 Members of the Knesset are needed to summon the Prime
Minister for a discussion in the plenum on a subject of their choice. This
may be done once a month.

Before I begin, I would like to thank the residents in the South and the
heads of local authorities there, the IDF commanders and soldiers and the
Israel Security Agency.

It is said that the job of Prime Minister of Israel is one of the most
complex ones in the world. I can tell you from experience: there is truth to
this statement, but even during difficult hours, there are moments that give
one small comfort and warm the heart. This was the case this week when I met
with the Iron Dome soldiers, men and women who are protecting all our homes.

By the way, in the age of missiles this statement is very accurate. They are
protecting our homes. There were soldiers there who were from the area, from
Ashdod, but also from the Galilee. They are protecting all our homes. I felt
the same way when I met with the residents of the South and their heads of
the local authorities. They are an important component in our national
resilience. Therefore, I am certain that I speak for all the members of
Knesset when I say that I salute them all. They certainly deserve it.

I would like to clarify that there is no such thing as hermetic defense and
there never will be. The combination of offensive readiness, defensive
readiness and national resilience is a winning combination and we must
nurture it.

I would like to say something to my colleagues, the Ministers and members of
Knesset. During my recent visit to Washington, I set two goals: the first
goal was to clarify that Israel has the right to defend itself by itself
against any danger. The second goal was to raise the threat of Iran's
nuclear armament to the top of the international community's list of
priorities.

With regard to the first goal, the recognition of Israel's right to defend
itself - there are those for whom this right seems self-evident. However, we
had a previous Prime Minister, important and wise - Menachem Begin - who
said that sometimes it is important to restate that which is self-evident.
So I decided to do that, forcefully. Israel has the right to defend itself
and, if necessary, to realize that right. This position was positively
received in the United States, I would even say in the most profound way.

This position has earned absolute support from the American people. It has
earned resounding approval in the Congress. I heard it from the Senate, the
House of Representatives, the Democratic leadership, the Republican
leadership - from everyone. And it has also earned official recognition from
the White House.

President Obama told me very explicitly during my visit, and I quote,
"Israel must have the ability to defend itself, by itself, against any
threat." He also added, "Israel has the sovereign right to make its own
decisions with regard to its security."

I appreciate the President's statements, and I appreciate the deep and
staunch alliance we have with the United States of America. As I said in
Washington, in light of what is occurring in our region, in the Middle East
and even beyond, this alliance between Israel and the US is prominent.
However, there is something even more prominent and that is our right, our
duty, to be the masters of our own fate.

Israel has never left its fate in the hands of others, not even in the hands
of our best friends. This is the supreme duty I am charged with as Prime
Minister of Israel. It is the supreme duty all Prime Ministers of Israel are
charged with. It was this duty that David Ben-Gurion upheld when he declared
the establishment of the country in 1948.

The American then-Secretary of State, the legendary George Marshall - and I
say legendary because he was a World War Two hero - asked Ben-Gurion to
wait. He said that there was time. However, Ben-Gurion did not wait, he
decided to declare the establishment of the country. Prime Minister Levy
Eshkol also upheld this duty during the waiting period in 1967, when the
stranglehold around Israel grew tighter. On the eve of the Six Day War, he
sent Abba Even to the White House to ask the United States to fulfill the
written commitment they gave Israel when it withdrew from the Sinai in 1956
and open the Straits of Tiran. President Johnson asked Abba Even to wait. He
was told that it was not the time. More than that, they told him, "If you
act alone - you will stay alone." However, Eshkol upheld his duty and he
acted.

Finally, in 1981, that same duty guided Menachem Begin as he faced the
question of the Iraqi nuclear reactor. He was well aware of the
international criticism that would come, including, by the way, from our
friend, the United States and President Reagan. He knew there would be such
criticism if we acted to destroy the Iraqi reactor. However, he did his duty
and acted. Let me tell you, my friends, with time it became clear that our
relations with the United States not only were not harmed, they grew even
stronger.

We would prefer that Iran abandon its nuclear program peacefully. Everyone
prefers this, and of course, so do I. However, the duty I am charged with is
to defend Israel's independent ability to defend itself against any
challenge.

I presented the example I just gave you to my hosts in Washington, and I
believe that the first goal I set, to strengthen the recognition of Israel's
right to defend itself - I think that goal was achieved.

The second goal of my visit, to raise Iran's nuclear armament to the top of
the international community's list of priorities - I believe that goal was
also achieved. I would like to clarify to you that this is not the result of
one visit. I have been acting to this end, together with my colleagues here,
methodically for over 15 years. I have always believed that an Iran armed
with nuclear weapons would pose an existential threat to Israel and a
serious threat to the well-being and security of the entire world. I warned
against this threat even when it was not popular to do so, and even when it
was unacceptable - when many leaders in Israel and around the world
preferred to ignore Iran's nuclear program and its repercussions.

There were those who believed, and probably still believe, that an agreement
with the Palestinians is the solution, that it would lead to a solution of
the Iranian problem. As if an agreement with Mahmoud Abbas would stop the
centrifuges. Let's make a deal and the centrifuges will stop spinning.
Whoever wants to believe this can do so, but he is simply burying his head
in the sand.

There are many reasons to come to an agreement with the Palestinians:
because we want peace; because we want calm; because I do not want a
binational state. However, thinking that an agreement with Abbas will stop
Iran and its satellite states - this is a dangerous illusion. I must admit
that some people excel at illusions.

I had just returned from Washington, and I heard several members of Knesset
and others say, "It is very good that you raised the issue of a nuclear Iran
to the top of the international community's list of priorities. But look -
it is the Palestinian issue that is exploding in our faces."

Understand, the dominant factor that motivates these events in Gaza is not
the Palestinian issue. The dominant factor that motivates these events in
Gaza is Iran.

Gaza equals Iran.
Where do the missiles come from? From Iran.
Where does the money come from? From Iran.
Who trains the terrorists? Iran.
Who builds the infrastructure? Iran.
I have said this many times: who gives the orders? Iran.
Gaza is a forward operating base for Iran.

I heard some people say that a third- or fourth-rate terrorist organization
is acting against a million citizens in the State of Israel. That is not
true. Iran is operating against us. I hope that if not all, at least most
members here and the public understand that the terrorist organizations in
Gaza - Hamas and Jihad, as well as Hizbullah in Lebanon - are taking shelter
under an Iranian umbrella.

Now imagine what will happen if that umbrella becomes nuclear. Imagine that
behind these terrorist organizations stands a country that calls for our
destruction and it is armed with nuclear weapons. Are you ready for this? I
am not ready for this! And any responsible leader understands that we cannot
let this happen - because of nuclear terror and the nuclear threat, but also
because of the strengthening of conventional terror and the firing of
missiles at us. A Prime Minister of Israel cannot entrust the ability to act
against this threat to others.

I know there are people who claim that I am terrifying people. I heard those
same people say exactly the same thing when my colleagues and I warned them
against the Disengagement, when we said that Gaza would become an enormous
terrorist base - they said I was terrifying people then as well. I resigned
from the government because I was not prepared to be a part of that
Disengagement. When I said they would fire missiles from Gaza on Ashkelon,
Beer Sheva and Ashdod, they said we were sowing panic. They said a
unilateral withdrawal would lead to a breakthrough in peace. Well, where is
that breakthrough? What peace?

We dragged the entire country into the mud, and we are dealing with a
situation that was created as a result of the Disengagement. We, unlike
other people, are dealing responsibly and with discretion with this problem,
and we will eventually resolve it, just as we are resolving the other
problems we inherited. We will resolve them too.

They brought Iran into Gaza - we will remove Iran from Gaza. We did not
bring Iran into Gaza - you brought Iran into Gaza!

Wherever we withdrew, Iran entered. We withdrew from Lebanon, Iran came in.
We withdrew from Gaza, Iran came in. Some people suggest that we act in a
similar manner in Judea and Samaria. Iran will come in there too. I cannot
believe that there is anyone, despite your yelling, despite your objections
and opposition, who does not understand that we cannot repeat this same
mistake a third time.

I believe that perhaps all of you, with certain isolated exceptions,
understand that we cannot repeat this mistake. If we come to an agreement
with the Palestinians, we must ensure that our security foundations are
sound and that Iran cannot enter the territory. We also know that when we
warned that this would happen in Gaza and that a unilateral withdrawal would
lead to this exact result, some people ignored those warnings, and today we
know the results. We also know that we cannot agree to this for long.

Our enemies must know that, at the end of the day, Israel will not accept an
Iranian base in Gaza. Sooner or later, Iran's terror base in Gaza will be
uprooted.