From the Liveblog of
Friday, September 27, 2024
Netanyahu denounces ‘self-described progressives’ marching in support of Iran’s ‘goons,’ blasts PA’s Abbas
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country “must achieve a historic peace agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia.”
“What a blessing such a peace with Saudi Arabia would bring,” he continues, saying it would be a boon to tourism, trade, energy, AI, and much more. “It would be a true pivot of history,” he says, bringing in a reconciliation between “Mecca and Jerusalem.”
The best way to foil Iran’s “nefarious designs” is to expand the blessings of peace, with US “support and leadership.”
“This can happen much sooner than people think,” he says, urging the world not to let the opportunity go by.
“Now I have a question,” he says. “What choice will you make?” he asks the hall, standing with Israel and democracy, or Iran and darkness.
“Yes, we are defending ourselves, but we are also defending ourselves against a common enemy,” he says.
Netanyahu blasts accusations of genocide, the ICC’s “moral confusion” and the false assertions that Israel is starving Gazans and blocks aid to Gaza. “We don’t want to see a single innocent person die, that’s always a tragedy,” he says, arguing that no army has dropped flyers and sent text messages to get non-combatants out of the way as Israel does.
He pans “self-described progressives” for marching against Israel, in support of Iranian “goons.” He accuses Iran of funding US protesters against Israel.
Netanyahu turns on the United Nations for its hypocrisy, recalling his first speech at the UN four decades ago when he spoke against a proposal then being considered against expelling Israel from the UN.
Now, the same “preposterous” proposal is being discussed, having been raised this week by PA President Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas claims he wants peace with Israel but refuses to condemn October 7 and maintains a “pay to slay” policy that pays stipends to Palestinian security prisoners, including convicted terrorists. Abbas, he says, wages “unremitting diplomatic warfare” against Israel’s right to exist and right to defend itself.
The Times of Israel Community.