Across the region, from Iran to Lebanon to Gaza, our enemies are seeking to rebuild, rearm and evolve in order to continue threatening our citizens and terrorizing our people. Israel is not opposed to a diplomatic outcome of the war. On the contrary, we seek peace. We dream of peace on all frontiers.
However, recent developments are generating serious, legitimate concerns in Israel—concerns that must be addressed—because we in Israel are in the line of fire. We are the ones being targeted by Iran’s empire of evil and its proxies. Iran has been threatening to annihilate Israel for decades. Iran’s desire to become a nuclear threshold state is therefore a tangible threat to Israel and world peace and cannot be enabled!
President Trump and American leaders have, correctly, repeatedly made clear that Iran is a threat to world peace. We must also address concerns regarding the financial components of the deal with Iran in order to prevent funds, which Iran will supposedly receive, from being funneled toward its war machine and its proxies.
As for Lebanon, let me be clear: The conflict in Lebanon should be resolved through negotiations between Israel and Lebanon—and not by Iranian extortion. Tying Iran to Lebanon not only leaves Israel exposed to constant threat; it leaves the Lebanese weak and powerless, and will prevent their president and government from moving forward.
Tomorrow, negotiations between Israel and Lebanon will resume in Washington, D.C., under the auspices of the Americans. The disarmament of Hezbollah must be inherent to any solution in Lebanon, and Iran cannot dictate the future of Lebanon—on these fundamental points there is full agreement between Israel and Lebanon.
President Donald Trump is a trusted partner of Israel. Our closest friend and ally and leader of the free world—the leader of the United States of America—has been staunchly combating the empire of evil and promoting stability in the Middle East. We value the president’s ongoing friendship and his administration’s clear stance regarding Iran’s nuclear plans and intentions. We share values and interests, and I have every confidence that together we can find the best formula to tackle this challenge.
I totally reject any derogatory statements aimed at senior officials in the administration.
We must boldly confront all extremist movements; we must combat any and every expression of antisemitism whenever and wherever it appears; and we must employ truth to counter the bias, distortions and double standards spread constantly in the media, online and across the halls of the United Nations.
The international campaign to delegitimize and demonize Israel is not what they falsely call “constructive, valid criticism.” It is a backhanded effort to question the Jewish people’s inherent right to sovereignty and our right to live and to raise our children peacefully.
I continue to be inspired by the historic Abraham Accords with the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Bahrain, brokered and led by President Trump and his team, and of course by the pioneers in Egypt and Jordan for their bold steps, which opened the door to peace. I pray that we broaden this circle of peace.
Together, we can build a region of bridges rather than barriers. Together, we can prove that peace is not a dream for the naive, but a strategy for the strong.
