"All of these are vital components of our national strength. All of these
are foundation stones as we fulfill the mission we have set for ourselves -
restoring quiet and security, and I would like to add, in light of the very
dramatic changes taking place in our region, not all of them negative, I
also add achieving a new diplomatic horizon for the State of Israel."

Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: What is this new diplomatic horizon?

All the leftist talking heads - including the lefties in the ruling
coalition - are dreaming that our shared regional interests with Egypt,
Saudi Arabia, Jordan, etc. could somehow be leveraged into a fantastic
series of photo op conferences culminating in Israeli withdrawal from the
West Bank, division of Jerusalem, a sovereign independent Palestinian state
and the utopian peace that they are so smugly confident all these actions
would herald.

But since Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu believes that the continued free
hand of the IDF in the West Bank is a necessary condition for Israel's
security he can't share this vision.

Two possibilities for PM Netanyahu:

#1. Let this fantasy play itself out until it ultimately crashes into the
wall of reality - gaining quiet from the left and the world in the short run
(while watching national camp coalition partners squirm and sweat it out in
the meantime)

#2. There is actually a well planned program for a "diplomatic horizon" to
realize tangible achievements.

One interesting development: the unprecedented diplomatic achievement of
the EU calls for the immediate and unconditional disarming of the terrorists
in Gaza.

Is this diplomatic achievement the "tip of the iceberg" on the "diplomatic
horizon"?]
====================


Statement by PM Netanyahu
PMO - 20 August 2014

Operation Protective Edge has not ended. It is a continuing campaign. If
Hamas fires, they will be hit very hard. I look forward to restarting peace
negotiations with a Palestinian government committed to peace with Israel,
to the end of terror.


Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following statement at the
Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv:

"First, I would like to personally turn to the IDF soldiers and commanders,
to the bereaved families who lost their dear ones in Operation Protective
Edge, to the wounded who are recovering in hospital, to the residents of
communities close to the Gaza Strip, to the residents of the Negev, the
greater Tel Aviv area, Jerusalem and the coastal plain, and to all citizens
of the State of Israel.

I would like to commend you and to thank you for the steadfastness and
extraordinary unity that the citizens and soldiers of Israel have shown
during the past weeks. I want you to know that the ultimate responsibility
for your security and peace is mine, as Prime Minister. I am concerned for
the security and peace of all Israelis, both the sons that we have sent to
the front and the families that are strong and determined in the home front.

Our goal is that the residents of Kerem Shalom, Sderot and the other
communities in the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip, Ashkelon and Tel Aviv
will be able to sleep quietly and that the children of Ofakim, Netivot,
Ashdod and Be'er Sheva won’t have to run to the protected areas at school.

Along with my colleagues, especially Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon and IDF
Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz, who is currently attending a memorial
ceremony for IDF soldiers, we are taking all measures to complete the
campaign and achieve the goals that we set for ourselves: The restoration of
quiet and security for you all. We are doing this in full cooperation, with
sagacity, responsibility and determination, and thus shall we continue until
the goal is achieved.

One consideration stands before me - the good of the State of Israel. And
this consideration is the only one that guides my decision-making, as well
as that of the Defense Minister and the Chief-of-Staff, no other object, no
harsh words from either the Right or the Left, and I condemn all harsh
words, and no other interests, only the responsibility for the security and
peace of all Israelis. Accordingly, I will continue to act with
determination, responsibility and sagacity.

Operation Protective Edge has not ended, not even for a moment, because this
is a continuing campaign and I am not speaking only about recent weeks. Our
struggle against the terrorist organizations is long and has continued for
many years - against Hezbollah, Al-Qaida, Islamic Jihad and Hamas in Gaza,
which is part of an Islamic terrorist network the newest member of which is
a murderous gang, another terrorist organization, ISIS in Iraq and Syria,
and it has also attacked Lebanon.

In recent weeks we have hit Hamas very hard on the battlefield. All of the
networks that it built in order to attack us have been foiled.

First of all, we prevented - via Iron Dome - attacks by thousands of rockets
against our communities. We have killed hundreds of terrorists. We have
destroyed thousands of rockets and launchers. We broke up the network of
assault tunnels that Hamas built over the years in order to launch
simultaneous attacks against our communities and we foiled all of its
attempts to attack us from land, sea and air.

This is the harshest blow that Hamas has taken since it was founded. And I
remind you that we have already dismantled its capabilities in Judea and
Samaria and blocked its attempts to carry out a coup. We did all this before
and during the operation. We have hit Hamas very hard. We are determined to
continue the campaign by all means for as long as it takes. We will not stop
until we have assured full security and a quiet life for the residents of
the south and for all Israelis.

Hamas thinks that it can wear us down. It is mistaken. The Israeli people
are strong. Instead of attrition, Hamas will be crushed - its
infrastructures, terrorists and commanders.

Our policy toward Hamas is simple: If they fire, they will be hit, and not
just hit but hit very hard. And if Hamas does not understand this today, it
will understand it tomorrow. And if not tomorrow then the day after tomorrow
because in the Middle East, one needs not just military power but stamina
and patience.

My grandfather came here in 1920, here to Jaffa. Several months after he
came here, thugs burst into the Jewish immigration office in Jaffa and
murdered Jews, in this area, including the well-known author Yosef Haim
Brenner. This was almost 94 years ago.

Since then we have been fighting against terrorism - with considerable
success. In this time we built our state, developed our cities, developed
our economy and created a magnificent army.

Our spirit has not fallen, not even for a moment. On the contrary, it has
grown, as has our unity, and we must continue to maintain our internal
unity, as well as the courage and resilience of the nation and the home
front.

All of these are vital components of our national strength. All of these are
foundation stones as we fulfill the mission we have set for ourselves -
restoring quiet and security, and I would like to add, in light of the very
dramatic changes taking place in our region, not all of them negative, I
also add achieving a new diplomatic horizon for the State of Israel."

Following are remarks in English by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the
press conference:

I hope President Abbas plays a constructive role. He has an opportunity to
do so. I think he has to understand obviously that no one, and least of all
Israel can accept the kind of terror attacks that are coming from Hamas. I
think that were acting well within our rights, probably more rigorously than
any, I would say. No other country has acted more rigorously than Israel in
defending itself within legitimate means. And I expect President Abbas to do
that.

I will look forward to restarting peace negotiations with a Palestinian
government committed to peace with Israel, to the end of terror, to
fulfilling the previous obligations that we have. And I think this is part
and parcel of the larger picture that I'm talking about. We have to think
carefully how we tie in the new circumstances to the advantage of peace and
against terror.

Hamas is like ISIS. ISIS is like Hamas. They're branches of the same tree.
And I can say that the entire world has been shocked by the atrocities of
Isis. You saw this, the beheading of an American journalist, Foley. It shows
you the barbarism, the savagery of these people. Well, we face the same
savagery. The people who wantonly rocket our cities and want to conduct mass
killings, and when they can they murder children, teenagers; they shoot them
in the head, throw people from the sixth floor - their own people; and use
their people as human shields.

Hamas is ISIS; ISIS is Hamas. They're the enemies of peace; they're the
enemies of Israel; they're the enemies of all civilized countries. I believe
they're the enemies of the Palestinians. And I'm not the only one who
believes it.