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Friday, July 09, 2010

Netanyahu addresses the Council on Foreign Relations

Another thing Prime Minister Netanyahu did on Thursday was to address the Council on Foreign Relations.

I don't have time to watch the whole thing before the Sabbath starts here, so you can all tell me what he said that I have not heard.

Here are the highlights:
Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations on July 8, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed U.S.-Israel relations, the threat of a nuclear Iran, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and the possibility of extending a temporary settlement freeze in the West Bank.

Netanyahu was unclear on whether or not he will extend a ten-month moratorium on settlement expansion in the West Bank beyond the September deadline. When asked, he said: "I think we've done enough. Let's go on with talks." Yet Netanyahu was cautious when assessing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's ability to achieve a final status agreement. "I will not do what some of my colleagues do to President Abbas," Netanyahu said, "I won't rule out the possibility of leadership."

On the subject of Iran and its uranium enrichment program, which Israel regards as a grave threat, Netanyahu was supportive of recent Obama administration moves. "The statement that the president has made that all options are on the table is probably the most effective pressure that you could direct at Iran," Netanyahu said, addressing the possibility of using military force to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. "They have in the past backed off when they thought the U.S. would act in a more forceful way."

Addressing recent strains in U.S.-Israel relations, Netanyahu emphasized Israel's strategic value to the United States. "In the heart of the Middle East, Israel is the source of the greatest stability," he said, "the service that Israel does in the Middle East is below the swirl of public debate, is real and much appreciated by the governments that are actually acting to stabilize the Middle East, chief among them the United States."
Let's go to the videotape.



Shabbat Shalom everyone.

2 Comments:

At 10:08 PM, Blogger Benyaminov Shamil said...

Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu is very moral and righteous man, but G-D forbid he divides Jerusalem and gives up major territory (so called settlements). I want him to speak about worldwide jewry and how we all connect to Israel as our home. I want him to speak more about Jewish refugees.
Why can we Israel give same rights to Israeli Arab citizens and how come jews cant get same rights and protection from Arab countries……My personal stance don’t give up anything, let them keep what they have…I always says we Jews always reside on rental lands our only home is Israel

Shabbat Shalom from NYC, (former home Azerbaijan, Baku 1994)

 
At 6:20 AM, Blogger NormanF said...

Agreed.

I don't see Netanyahu making major concessions since he doesn't have the support for them in his own party and the Palestinians are not going to be forthcoming enough to allow him to even make such an offer.

I don't see anything changing with the Palestinians any time soon.

 

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