Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting (December 2, 2012):
“The response to the attack on Zionism and the State of Israel must reinforce and underscore the implementation of the settlement plan in all areas in which the Government decides regarding settlement.
These are not my words. These are the words of the government of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and this is the language of the Cabinet’s 1975 decision in the wake of the UN decision that equated Zionism with racism.
Today we are building and we will continue to build in Jerusalem and in all areas that are on the map of the strategic interests of the State of Israel.
The Palestinian Authority’s one-sided step at the UN constitutes a gross violation of the agreements that have been signed with the State of Israel; accordingly, the Government of Israel rejects the UN General Assembly decision.
I would like to reiterate: There will be no Palestinian state without an arrangement in which the security of Israeli citizens will be ensured. There will be no Palestinian state until the State of Israel is recognized as the state of the Jewish People. There will be no Palestinian state until the Palestinians declare an end to the conflict. Israel will not agree to Judea and Samaria becoming a base for Iranian terrorism, as happened in the areas we evacuated in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.
I would like to thank US President Barack Obama, Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper, Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas and the leaders of the other countries that voted against the proposal at the UN. History will favorably judge those countries that lined up on the side of truth, on the side of peace and alongside Israel at this time.
Today, the Cabinet will be briefed on the incitement that the Palestinian Authority is leading against Israel. I must say that in addition to this report, there is, to my regret, Abu Mazen’s sharp incitement speech at the UN, in which he incited against IDF soldiers and Israeli citizens while using lies and historical distortions.
I must note that Abu Mazen did not see fit to say even a single word about the terrorism and rocket fire being directed against Israeli citizens; this is not the talk of a man who wants peace.
Over the weekend, we heard reports that Jonathan Pollard has taken ill. On behalf of the entire Cabinet, I would like to send from here our wishes for his rapid recovery. We will continue to act however we can in order to bring Jonathan Pollard back home.
Another monthly report – this week we learned that last month approximately 40 people tried to enter Israel, 40 infiltrators; they were all detained. I remind you that only a few months ago, thousands were coming here, crossing into the country and entering Israel’s cities every week. Our actions have blocked this phenomenon.
One more piece of data that was published over the weekend – The Economist ranked Israel in 20th place on list of the best countries to be born in. This is after Israel was ranked 14th in the World Happiness Report and as the world’s 6th healthiest country. We will continue to work to develop the State of Israel in the face of all challenges, to turn the State of Israel into a good and developed place, and one of the most developed countries in the world in terms of its economy, infrastructure, quality of life and social welfare. Today we will discuss these indices.”
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