Defense Minister Naftali Bennet on Sunday morning addressed the motzei Shabbos rocket fire from Gaza into southern Israel. The IDF during the night of motzei Shabbos retaliated to the rocket fire, striking at terrorists in Gaza.

“We see that on the other side, the same occasional rocket fire persists. We need to get our enemies to understand one simple thing – one doesn’t fire at the State of Israel, and whoever does fire, pays the price. We have accustomed our enemies to think it is okay. We need to change the equation. It takes time, but our enemies will realize that one does not fire at Jews anymore”.

Addressing the Makor Rishon Conference, Bennet said, “Like Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Bennet addressed the Iranian threat, seeking to station itself around our land, already based in Lebanon and working to position in Syria, Gaza and more. We need to shift from restraint to attacking. If we are determined, we can oust the Iranian troops from Syria.

“They have no business at the borders of the State of Israel. We are telling Iran ‘Syria is going to become your Vietnam’ if you don’t withdraw, you will be based there and bleed because we will work tirelessly until you remove the aggression forces from Syria.”

The defense minister added, “2020 is a year with many threats but many opportunities as well. We must not go to elections which will sour the upcoming year of opportunity. From here, I call to those in the cockpit: Do not lead this plane called the State of Israel to crash. Yes, I’m a politician, with big interests towards remaining the defense minister but I call on Benny Gantz, Gabi Ashkenazi, Moshe Ya’alon and Yair Lapid to drop everything! We don’t have another country. Come to Netanyahu today and remain until there is white smoke. Avigdor Lieberman come home. It is the right thing for the State of Israel.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)