Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday morning 2 Cheshvan 5774, made the following remarks at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting:

“I returned over the weekend from the US where I held a long and in-depth meeting with President Obama. We discussed our common interest in preventing Iran from achieving a nuclear weapon. We also raised the issue, myself and the members of my delegation, at the UN in Congress and in meetings with public opinion leaders.

“The main thing that we are working to achieve is to prevent Iran’s enrichment capability. We do not oppose diplomatic negotiations with Iran. We insist that these negotiations lead to the dismantling of Iran’s enrichment capability. Iran claims that it wants this for nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Seventeen countries produce nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without even one centrifuge. They produce this energy without centrifuges and without enrichment because enrichment is a main process in producing fissionable material for nuclear bombs. Whoever does not want fissionable material and nuclear bombs does not insist on enrichment; therefore, Iran – which has violated all understandings and misled time and time again, which has declared its intention to destroy the State of Israel and, of course, has violated other decisions as well, and which leads terrorism on five continents – must not be allowed to have an enrichment capability. This is the most important point.

“The sanctions on Iran are working. They are very strong; they are a moment away from achieving their goal. The sanctions must not be eased before the goal of dismantling Iran’s enrichment capability, in effect, the ability to produce nuclear weapons, is achieved. This was the focus of the talks. There were other issues as well which I will discuss in the appropriate forums.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)