Prime Minister Naftali Bennett releases a video statement congratulating Iranians on Nowruz, the Persian new year.
“I wish you a happy new year – a year of health, prosperity and peace. Nowruz literally means ‘new day.’ And that’s my greatest wish to you, the Iranian people: That you will see a new day – a day of freedom from the cruel Iranian regime,” he says in English. “A new day where you can drink clean water, speak freely, and live your lives with dignity.”
The premier says Israelis and Iranians have much in common, such as their “ancient histories and rich cultures,” and also face a “common threat.”
“The brutal and oppressive Iranian regime, whether the IRGC – the world’s single largest terrorist organization, its proxies, or the Basij,” he says, referring to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
“We know that the Iranian regime does not represent you and they continue to deny you the freedom that you deserve. We hope you rid yourselves of this cruel and ruthless regime and reach true freedom,” Bennett continues. “May we see a ‘new day,’ where we defeat the forces of darkness with the strength of our friendship and our pursuit of freedom. I hope this new year will free the Iranian people from the shackles of oppression of the Iranian regime.”
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist
Support our work
Support our work
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this