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PM Netanyahu’s Remarks at the Press Conference with German Chancellor
PM Netanyahu’s Remarks at the Press Conference with German Chancellor Angel=
a =
Merkel 25/02/2014
http://www.pmo.gov.il/English/MediaCenter/Events/Pages/eventgermany250214.a=
spx
Netanyahu: Chancellor Merkel, my dear friend Angela, it’s a pleasure to =
welcome you and your delegation to Israel. We had a very enjoyable and =
productive dinner last night in which we covered a breadth of issues, maybe =
the most important issues that relate to Israel’s security interests and ou=
r =
quest for peace. And I appreciate your understanding and your consideration=
. =
And we had today an exceptional meeting of our two governments =96 exceptio=
nal =
because first of all, we stuck to the schedule. We were on time. Second, we =
stuck to the agenda and I think a lot of areas were covered and we can lear=
n =
a great deal from each other. I must say that I learned quite a few things, =
including how to cut bureaucracy and streamline regulations, which is a =
revelation for me. So we intend to deepen these exchanges because this is =
part of our common policies. So I extend a warm welcome to you and your =
entire generation [sic].
The goal of these annual meetings is to do precisely what I just described: =
how to bring an already close and strong relations [sic] to even higher =
levels of closeness and strength, and I think your visit here, accompanied =
by virtually all of your Cabinet, is a demonstration of the strength and =
warmth of Israeli-German relations. It’s deeply appreciated. And I deeply =
appreciate your personal friendship.
I said that we had discussed last night critical issues on our agenda and =
today we actually expanded on that: on international development and third =
countries, primarily in Africa; on trade and commerce; on defense and =
security; and again I think that Germany is =96 under your leadership and =
traditionally, but especially under your leadership =96 has had a clear =
commitment to the security of the Jewish state, which we all appreciate. We =
discussed energy and environmental protection, education and youth =
exchanges, scientific and technological research. In all these areas and in =
many more, we’re working closely together.
I believe that we also seek something that changes our world. How to have a =
stable Middle East is something that is perhaps beyond the compass of our =
two countries, but how to try to get a workable peace between us and our =
Palestinian neighbors =96 this is something that we’re both seeking to achi=
eve =
and I believe that there’s a simple formula for that.
It’s:
+ two states for two peoples
+ a demilitarized Palestinian state
+ that recognizes the Jewish state.
And I want to thank you for making clear that the Palestinians who ask us t=
o =
recognize a Palestinian state have to reciprocate by recognizing the Jewish =
state. Because without Palestinian recognition of Israel as the nation-stat=
e =
of the Jewish people, there can be no real reconciliation because the =
conflict cannot end without the Palestinians basically giving up all =
national claims to the Jewish state. This is the idea of the two =
nation-states: they have a nation-state for the Palestinian people, we have =
a nation-state for the Jewish people and there are no more claims.
I think that
+ peace must also be based on iron-clad security arrangements that enable =
Israel to safeguard the peace and protect Israel for any contingency becaus=
e =
in this volatile part of the world, and we see how volatile it is, there ca=
n =
be no real peace without security.
I know that there are those in Europe who have been calling on a boycott fo=
r =
Israel so I want to be very clear: there can be criticism of Israel. That’s =
legitimate. But it’s hard not to notice the fact that those who call for =
boycotting Israel are not calling for the boycott of any other country. The=
y =
boycott only Israel. They blame only the Jewish state and singling out =
Israel, the one democracy =96 the one true democracy in the whole Middle =
East =96 is neither moral or correct and I would say or productive because =
actually these boycotts push back peace. They only serve to strengthen =
Palestinian intransigence. They also don’t help the Palestinian economy, yo=
u =
know? There are 30,000 Palestinian workers who work in the settlements and =
the Jewish communities and their economy would be hard hit.
But the most important thing is I think that we’re working to resolve, =
through negotiations, a very complex conflict. We hope to make progress on =
it. Boycotts is not the moral or productive way to move peace forward. It =
actually pushes peace back. So I hope that others in Europe follow your =
lead, Angela, in rejecting boycotts and going for the support of Secretary =
Kerry’s effort to advance a workable peace between Israel and the =
Palestinians. I have been working very closely with John Kerry and I’m read=
y =
for a stark agreement that ends the conflict between Israel and our =
Palestinian neighbors once and for all. I can only express my hope that =
President Abbas is equally willing to end the conflict once and for all and =
of course this will be seen in the coming weeks and months.
On the Iranian issue, despite the soothing words of President Rouhani, we =
see that Iran has not changed its behavior at all. Iran continues to oppres=
s =
its people. Inside Iran they execute hundreds of innocent people in the cit=
y =
squares. They actually hang them from cranes. And Iran continues to be on =
the ground in Syria, propping up the Assad regime, financing its murderous =
activities, giving them arms, giving them weapons, giving them fighters and =
commanders. This is continuing every day, as we speak. It’s happening right =
now. Iran continues to perpetrate terrorism directly or through its proxy =
Hezbollah in Europe and around the world. And Iran continues its relentless =
pursuit of nuclear weapons. They continue to do so while developing the =
means to deliver those weapons. They’re developing long-range ICBMs and I =
want to say, they are not directed against us. They already have the =
missiles to reach us. Those ICBMs are intended for Europe; they’re intended =
for you; they’re intended for the United States. And they have only one =
payload =96 that’s a nuclear payload. And of course, Iran continues to call =
for the annihilation of the Jewish state.
Last week, the P5+1 started negotiations with Iran on a final deal. I think =
that the most crucial thing is to define the goal. The goal of these =
negotiations is to prevent Iran from having the capability to manufacture =
and deliver nuclear weapons, because if Iran maintains that capability, the=
n =
make no mistake about it: It will use those weapons. And we know that we =
cannot have a world in which fanatic regimes, irresponsible regimes, have =
atomic bombs. We understand already what is happening in one part of the =
world, in Asia, with such a regime having such weapons and we cannot afford =
to have that replicated by a regime that I say is the equivalent of 50 Nort=
h =
Koreas =96 having weapons that could threaten not maybe the security of Isr=
ael =
and the security of Germany, but the security of the entire world. The goal =
is to prevent Iran from having the capability to manufacture and deliver =
nuclear weapons. I believe that means zero enrichment, zero centrifuges, =
zero plutonium and of course an end to ICBM development. Because none of =
these elements =96 none of them =96 is necessary for developing civilian nu=
clear =
energy, which is what Iran has claimed that it wants.
I know, Angela, that you are concerned with this issue. We understand what =
this would mean for the world. I think it will also mean that if Iran gets =
away with this, than this will spark waves of proliferation, nuclear =
proliferation in the Middle East. Other countries would seek to nuclearize =
and of course that may have an effect around the world. I find that, when w=
e =
speak about this, there’s a common desire to see a peaceful, secure and =
stable world, but also a common desire to see Israel and Germany working =
together to achieve a better world, both in our region and at large.
I think our ties provide an example of how, despite the horrors of the past =
that we can never forget, we strive for =96 our two peoples strive to =
transform our relationship into a unique and constructive friendship. And I =
think that the example of Israel and Germany offers hope for the entire =
world. It shows how we can transform history and make the world a better =
place to live in =96 better and I have to say safer and more prosperous. We=
‘re =
certainly doing that in our own relationship, working in many, many levels =
and many, many fields and I want to express again my thanks for this unique =
cooperation and for your unique leadership.
Thank you, Angela, and welcome to Jerusalem. =
________________________________________
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