Opening his video address, pre-recorded due to the coronavirus pandemic, on a
positive note, Mr. Netanyahu said that while the Middle East “is
not exactly renowned” for producing good news, the recent
agreements between Israel, and Bahrain and the United Arab
Emirates, respectively, would bring their peoples the “blessings
of peace” and the enormous benefits through increased trade,
investment and commerce.
The Prime Minister said that he had “no doubt that more Arab and
Muslim countries will be joining the circle of peace, soon, very
soon.”
“This good news about peace came about because of a clear break
with the failed strategies of the past,” he added.
Mr. Netanyahu said that for decades, all progress was halted
because of “completely unrealistic Palestinian demands”, demands
– he said – were “complete non-starters for any responsible
Israeli Government.”
He also spoke of the President of the United States, who chose a
path “anchored in reality”, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s
capital, Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and put
forward a realistic peace plan that recognizes Israel’s right,
addresses its security needs and provides the Palestinians with a
dignified realistic path forward if they make peace with Israel.
In his address, Prime Minister Netanyahu also spoke of the threat
to his country and other Arab States, posed by Iran.
Hezbollah's ‘secret arms depot’
“Iran wantonly and repeatedly attacks its neighbours, and its
terror proxies are directly involved in violence throughout the
Middle East, including in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Gaza and of course,
Lebanon,” he added, recalling the explosion in the port of Beirut
in early August.
Mr. Netanyahu also accused Hezbollah of keeping a “secret arms
depot” near Beirut’s airport, near Janah, an area with civilian
buildings and energy infrastructure, noting that if the depot
explodes, “it’s another tragedy,” he said referring to the 4
August blast that ripped through the Lebanese capital’s port
area, killing nearly 200 people and leaving hundreds of thousands
homeless.
To the people living near Janah, he said: “You’ve got to act now.
You've got to protest this. Because if this thing explodes, it's
another tragedy.”
The Prime Minister of Israel went on to commend US President
Donald Trump for “withdrawing from the flawed nuclear deal with
Iran,” adding that he had opposed the deal from the very outset.
Wrapping up his address, Prime Minister Netanyahu called on all
members of the Security Council to stand
with the US against Iran’s aggression and in insisting that Iran
end its nuclear weapons programme once and for all.
“Stand with the US in confronting the greatest danger to peace in
our region,” he continued.
“And if you do, I am confident that in the years ahead we will be
able to celebrate more good news from the Middle East.”
