Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday, 1 Rosh Chodesh Kislev 5774, made the following remarks at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting:

“This past weekend marked the 96th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, which recognized the right of the Jewish People to a homeland of its own in the Land of Israel. There is no doubt that the international recognition of the Jewish People’s right to a state of its own in its historic homeland is important; the refusal to recognize us is the root of the conflict. In order for there to be peace between us and our Palestinian neighbors, they must recognize the right of the Jewish People to a state of its own in its homeland. This means that in a permanent agreement they will drop their national demands, including the right of return and any other national demand on the State of Israel. The second foundation is the security that can defend the peace and will defend the Jewish state in case the peace frays. These security arrangements are important to us. We will insist upon them. They will certainly include many things, but first and foremost, the security border of the State of Israel will remain along the Jordan River.

“There are also those who openly and directly call for our destruction, and the leading element is, of course, Iran. Iran is continuing to try and arm itself with nuclear weapons; it has not changed its goal, the method maybe, but not the goal, and it has not changed its ideology. I call your attention to the fact that tomorrow the regime will mark the 34th anniversary since the seizure of the US Embassy in Tehran – they call this ‘Death to America Day.’ This makes it clear that pressure on the Iranian regime must be continued. The pressure has brought them to the negotiating table. I am convinced that if the pressure is maintained and not relaxed, Iran will dismantle its military nuclear capabilities, and if the pressure is relaxed, Iran will advance toward this goal. We are committed to ensuring that it does not reach its realization.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)