In a message to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini, PM warns: Those who threaten us with annihilation put themselves in mortal peril
By Gideon Allon, Associated Press and Israel Hayom Staff
Israel Hayom
September 20, 2017
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took aim at Iran on Tuesday in a powerful address before the United Nations General Assembly that also saw him praise Israel's improved international standing.
Netanyahu started his speech on a positive note, saying Israel is in the midst of "a great revolution – a revolution in Israel's standing among the nations." He said this was happening because "so many countries around the world have finally woken up to what Israel can do for them" as a leader in innovation, technology, and were recognizing its "exceptional capabilities in fighting terrorism."
He said that in recent years, "Israel has provided intelligence that has prevented dozens of major terrorist attacks around the world. We have saved countless lives. You may not know this, but your governments do, and they are working closely together with Israel to keep your countries safe and your citizens safe."
Netanyahu then went on to criticize the U.N. and its agencies for unfairly singling out Israel.
"Syria has barrel bombed, starved, gassed and murdered hundreds of thousands of its own citizens and wounded millions more, while Israel has provided lifesaving medical care to thousands of Syrian victims of that very same carnage. Yet who does the World Health Organization criticize? Israel. So is there no limit to the UN's absurdities when it comes to Israel? Well, apparently not, because in July, UNESCO declared the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron a Palestinian World Heritage site. That's worse than fake news – that's fake history," he said.
"Mind you, it's true that Abraham, the father of both Ishmael and Isaac, is buried there, but so too are Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca ... and Leah, who just happen to be patriarchs and matriarchs of the Jewish people. You won't read about that in the latest UNESCO report. But if you want to, you can read about that in a somewhat weightier publication – it's called the Bible. I highly recommend it."
Netanyahu noted that "despite the absurdities, despite the repetition of these farcical events," there have been signs of slow change at the U.N., an institution he said has for years been "the epicenter of global anti-Semitism." He then thanked U.N. Secretary General António Guterres for his statement that denying Israel's right to exist was equivalent to anti-Semitism.
"We must also speak the truth about Iran, as [U.S.] President [Donald] Trump did so powerfully this morning," Netanyahu said. "President Trump rightly called the nuclear deal with Iran … an embarrassment. Well, I couldn't agree with him more. And here's why: Iran vows to destroy my country every day, including by its chief of staff the other day. Iran is conducting a campaign of conquest across the Middle East and Iran is developing ballistic missiles to threaten the entire world.
"Two years ago, I stood here and explained why the Iranian nuclear deal not only doesn't block Iran's path to the bomb, Iran's nuclear program has what's called a sunset clause. … And I warned that when that sunset comes, a dark shadow will be cast over the entire Middle East and the world because Iran will then be free to enrich uranium on an industrial scale, placing it on the threshold of a massive arsenal of nuclear weapons.
"I know there are those who still defend the dangerous deal with Iran, arguing that it will block Iran's path to the bomb. Ladies and gentlemen, that's exactly what they said about the nuclear deal with North Korea, and we all know how that turned out. Unfortunately, if nothing changes, this deal will turn out exactly the same way.
"That's why Israel's policy regarding the nuclear deal with Iran is very simple: Change it or cancel it, fix it or nix it. Nixing the deal means restoring massive pressure on Iran, including crippling sanctions, until Iran fully dismantles its nuclear weapons capability. Fixing the deal requires many things, among them inspecting military and any other site that is suspect, and penalizing Iran for every violation. But above all, fixing the deal means getting rid of the sunset clause.
"We must also stop Iran's development of ballistic missiles and roll back its growing aggression in the region," he continued. "Many supporters of the nuclear deal naively believed that it would moderate Iran. It would make it a responsible member, so they said, of the international community.
"Well, as you know, I strongly disagreed. I warned that when the sanctions on Iran would be removed, Iran would behave like a hungry tiger unleashed, not joining the community of nations, but devouring nations, one after the other. And that's precisely what Iran is doing today. From the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean, from Tehran to Tartus [in Syria], an Iranian curtain is descending across the Middle East. Iran spreads this curtain of tyranny and terror over Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and elsewhere, and it pledges to extinguish the light of Israel.
Netanyahu also had a message for Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: "The light of Israel will never be extinguished. ... Those who threaten us with annihilation put themselves in mortal peril."
He said Israel would defend itself "with the full force of our arms and the full power of our convictions. We will act to prevent Iran from establishing permanent military bases in Syria for its air, sea and ground forces. We will act to prevent Iran from producing deadly weapons in Syria or in Lebanon for use against us. And we will act to prevent Iran from opening new terror fronts against Israel along our northern border."
Netanyahu warned that "as long as Iran's regime seeks the destruction of Israel, Iran will face no fiercer enemy than Israel."
But he also had a simple message for the Iranian people, which he delivered in both English and Farsi: "You are not our enemy; you are our friends.
"One day, my Iranian friends, you will be free from the evil regime that terrorizes you, hangs gays, jails journalists, tortures political prisoners, and shoots innocent women. … And when that day of liberation finally comes, the friendship between our two ancient peoples will surely flourish once again."
Israel, the prime minister stressed, "is committed to achieving peace with all our Arab neighbors, including the Palestinians. Yesterday President Trump and I discussed this, all of this, at great length. I appreciate President Trump's leadership, his commitment to stand by Israel's side, his commitment to advance a peaceful future for all. Together we can seize the opportunities for peace and together we can confront the great dangers of Iran.
"Tomorrow evening, Jews around the world will celebrate Rosh Hashana, the beginning of our new year. It is time of reflection, and we look back with wonder at the miraculous rebirth of our nation, and we look ahead with pride to the remarkable contributions Israel will continue to make to all nations.
"As the Prophet Isaiah said: 'I have made you a light unto the nations, bringing salvation to the ends of the earth.' Today, 2,700 years after Isaiah spoke those prophetic words, Israel is becoming a rising power among the nations. And at long last, its light is shining across the continents, bringing hope and salvation to the ends of the earth.
"Happy new year, shanah tovah from Israel. Thank you."
Among those present for Netanyahu's speech were Sara Netanyahu, Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi, National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat and representatives from the Prime Minister's Office. Israel's Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon, who was appointed vice president of the General Assembly last week, presided over Tuesday's assembly.
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IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI’S RESPONSE
پس از انتشار گزارش «آمدنیوز»، «صادق لاریجانی» رئیس قوه قضائیه برای جلوگیری از عدم درز اطلاعات بیشتر این پرونده، در تاریخ چهارشنبه پانزدهم شهریورماه ۱۳۹۶، جلسهای را با حضور حجتالاسلام اسماعیل خطیب رئیس حفاظت اطلاعات این قوه، «پور زارع» و «نوروزی» دو تن از معاونان خطیب برگزار کرد و تصمیم گرفت که «صداقت» مسئول این پرونده فوق سری و معاون کل کاشف سازمان حفاظت اطلاعات را به عنوان مأمور به شرکت نفت انتقال دهدt
Filthy Zionist pig, may the curse of Allah be on you and that Yankee pig Trump. Once we are ready, we will turn the Zionist entity into a glowing wasteland. Then, when the vultures have finished feasting on the incinerated filthy Jews, there will be only a Palestinian state from the river to the sea. Allah be praised, you miserable son of monkeys.
(Of course, I made that up.)
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