From the Liveblog of
Saturday, October 28, 2023
PM: ‘Never again is now,’ Israel fighting ‘humanity’s war against the barbarians’
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
At the press conference, Netanyahu says, “We always said, ‘Never Again’. Never Again’ is now.”
He says his heart is broken after meeting families of the kidnapped, pledging, “We will utilize every opportunity to return our kidnapped brothers and sisters to their families’ embrace.”
“Their abduction is a crime against humanity,” he says.
Netanyahu also denounces those who “dare to accuse our soldiers of war crimes” as hypocrites and liars.
“The IDF is the most moral army in the world; the IDF does everything to avoid harm to non-combatants,” he says, again calling on residents of northern Gaza to head to the southern Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu accuses Hamas of war crimes, saying it “uses citizens as human shields,” uses hospitals as terror HQs, and takes fuel meant for hospitals to supply its war.
Many worldwide now understand what we said for years, he continues: “Israel is fighting not only its war, but humanity’s war against the barbarians.”
“Our allies in the Western world, and our partners in the Arab world, know that if we do not win, they are next in line in the campaign of conquest and murder from the axis of evil,” he says.
Netanyahu says that Israel has managed to get the world behind it, noting solidarity visits by the leaders of the United States, UK, Italy, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Greece, Cyprus and more.
“They brought a clear message — we don’t only support you, we are also hoping for your victory,” he says
“There are times a nation faces two options – to exist or to cease. We are now in such a test,” the premier continues.
“We are the ones that will win.”
Netanyahu says the initial stage was a massive air campaign “to allow our ground forces to go in as safely as possible.”
“We eliminated countless murderers, including mass murderers. We destroyed countless headquarters and terrorist infrastructure. We are only at the beginning,” he says.
Netanyahu adds the war will be “long and hard, and we are ready. It is our second War of Independence,” he says. “We will fight to defend the homeland. We will fight and we will not withdraw,” he vows, and will
destroy the enemy “above ground and below the ground.”
He terms the war as one of “light over darkness, life over death. This is the mission of our lives and my life.”
He says he prays for the safety of Israel’s soldiers, and ends: “We will fight together and win together.”
