Excerpt from PM Netanyahu's Remarks at the 70th Independence Reception for
the Diplomatic Corps
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
Video:
https://youtu.be/vU9WijIhJGs

Following is an excerpt from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks
today (Thursday, 19 April 2018), Independence Day, at the President's
Residence in Jerusalem:

"There are two things that you can do to help Israel celebrate this great
Independence Day. The first thing is – speak out against Iran. Iran is the
enemy of us all – of Israel, the Arab world, Civilization. It openly speaks
today, 2018, the 21st century, it openly speaks about liquidating Israel,
openly! It encircles the whole Middle East which it wants to conquer, it
fires rockets into Riyadh and Saudi Arabia, it is occupying Lebanon
effectively, it’s trying to inflame Gaza again, it is in Iraq, and it is
trying to establish a military base in Syria, which all peace loving nations
should resist, speak out against Iran. If history has taught us anything, it
is that a murderous tyranny must be opposed in the beginning. Stop bad
things in the beginning.

The second thing you can do to advance peace is to move your embassy here.
We are delighted with President Trump’s decision to move the embassy here.
It says a simple thing: Peace must be based on truth.

Recognizing reality is the way you build peace. You cannot build peace on a
foundation of lies because it crashes on the rocks of reality. It’s
important to establish those principles that will ultimately guide peace:
that Israel has a capital, that the Jewish people have had a capital for
3,000 years and that it’s called Jerusalem - is uncontestable. It’s time to
recognize that fact. I’m delighted to say that there are at least half a
dozen countries that are now seriously discussing with us, moving the
embassy to Jerusalem, and thank you Guatemala for doing that. There will be
others to follow.

So please, there’s a simple principle, you’re familiar with it: First come,
first served. I’ve decided that the first ten embassies to come here will
get preferential treatment. We’ll help you! All of you should do that. And I
want to say how delighted we are here to see you at the President’s house,
in our capital Jerusalem on this day, but we want to see you every day. So
'This year in Jerusalem.' Thank you for coming here, thank you for
celebrating our independence and our rebirth here in the Jewish state."