Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday evening 11 Cheshvan 5774, observed an Armored Corps brigade-level exercise on the Golan Heights. He was briefed by IDF Deputy Chief-of-Staff Major-General Gadi Eizenkott and Northern District Commander Major-General Yair Golan.

At the start of the major training event the prime minister stated, “I came this evening to observe one of the many exercises that the IDF holds in order to maintain its readiness. Today we are marking 40 years since the Yom Kippur War. I think that we have three main lessons from that war: The first lesson is not to deride the enemy. The second is not to give up in advance on a pre-emptive strike against an immediate and tangible threat. The third lesson is the importance of buffer zones.

“Today also marks the start of talks between Iran and the major powers, the P5 + 1. I think that it would be an historic mistake to give Iran discounts and ease up on it without it having to dismantle the nuclear capability that it is building. Iran is now on the ropes and it is possible to use the sanctions at full strength in order to achieve the desired result. I hope that the international community does this and I call upon it to do so.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)