Friday, January 17, 2014

"Take Aways" From Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Session with Foreign Journalists Thursday Evening Jan. 18 Jerusalem




Economy

He's gearing up for next week's trip to Davos. Spoke about Israel as being safe, free and technically advanced.
His Davos speech will be entitled "Israel: Innovation Nation"
Israel committed to Negev and Galilee development.
Moving forward with rail link between Eilat and Ashdod – Red-Med link. Way to move Asian goods to Europe [via containers].
Committed to relocating advanced military bases to Beersheba.
[by prearrangement took one of just three questions from Xinhua] Israel is working on easing export restrictions to China.  Planning to offer China test desalination project for one Chinese city. Israel leads in this technology. Then, maybe, scale up to other cities.

Cyber warfare
Israel moving its biggest cyber defense bases to Negev.
Safe secure cyber environment is everyone's interest.
Beersheba will be capital of cyber efforts in years to come- the cyber capital of Israel – maybe bigger than that…

Security
Israel faces three challenges: Iran, Iran's Hezbollah proxy, Iran's Hamas and Islamic Jihad Proxy
Iranian nukes: "We will prevent it" by ever means possible.

Jordan
On Thursday's lightening, surprise visit with King Abdullah of Jordan in Amman:  It was an "excellent" meeting. The PM [in reply to query from Arab journalist, also by prearrangement] did not want to characterize Jordan's position on a continued Israeli presence in the Jordan Valley.
Israel's relation with Jordan also based on peace and security.

 Palestinians
In Gaza: Israel will not accept "drip" & "drizzle" of rocket attacks. [Air Force retaliating as he spoke for attack aimed at Ashkelon.]  
Negotiations with PA: The main component of a Lasting Peace is Israeli Security. Otherwise it will unravel.
Jerusalem does not want a Hamasstan in Judea and Samaria [West Bank]
We're seeing an "Afghanistan" evolving in Syria.
There is a Hezbollahstan in Lebanon.
Myths: That the core of the ME conflict is the Palestinian Arab problem; that "settlements" are the core of the Palestinian-Israel conflict; that a Palestinian state is what is holding up peace.
Why did they attack us between 1948 – 1967 when there  were no settlements?
Why attack us after we pulled out of Gaza?
Israel is ready for a Palestinian state.
The Palestinians are not ready for a Jewish state.
An accord with Palestinians is contingent on (1) security and (2) recognition of Jewish state [in any boundaries].
In answer to [prearranged question from BBC] question about why release of Arab terrorists is invariably linked to building [within existing] settlements.
Must Jews live in settlement clusters. No new settlements are being announced, only some dwellings within existing settlements.
Netanyahu expressed irritation with EU calling in Israeli ambassadors after settlement-building announcement. "When was the last time the EU called in Palestinian ambassadors to talk about incitement?"
Or the involvement of Palestinian Authority security personnel in anti-civilian attacks against Israelis?
It is significant to Israel that Palestinians are not being held accountable for their behavior.
[Continued construction] "This was part of the understanding.  It was the deal. Unwritten. But everybody knew it."
This is not an obstacle. What do the Arabs wants an ethnically cleansed state?

##ENDS##



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I am open to running your criticism if it is not ad hominem. I prefer praise, though.