Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday addressed the AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington, DC, via video.
Netanyahu began his comments by saying “hello from Jerusalem, the united capital of Israel that will never be divided again.”
“Last year, those who came to AIPAC were accused of dual loyalty. This year, AIPAC was accused of providing a platform for bigotry,” he continued, referring to statements by Rep. Ilhan Omar last year and to this year’s condemnation of AIPAC by Senator Bernie Sanders.
“These libelous charges are outrageous, and the best way to respond to that outrage is to do what you have done, by gathering in Washington today in full force. You send a powerful message to all those who seek to weaken our great alliance that they will fail,” he said.
“I hope that tomorrow’s election will lead to a decisive outcome. I hope that I’ll be able to form a strong and stable government that will be able to deal with both the great challenges and the enormous opportunities we face,” continued Netanyahu.
President Donald Trump’s “Deal of the Century”, said Netanyahu, “is the opportunity of a century for Israel. It enables Israel to secure our vital security and our vital national interests by recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and over the Jewish communities that flourish in the heart of our ancestral homeland. It leaves open a path to a political settlement with the Palestinians, and it will help enable Israel to normalize our relations with our other Arab neighbors in the years ahead.”
“Last week, a joint US-Israel mapping committee began its work. It’s working as fast as possible to finish the job. I believe that work should be finished in the next couple of months. Israel would then apply its laws to all those territories that are designated by the Trump plan as being a part of Israel, and the United States will recognize those territories as part of Israel. This will be a truly historic day.”
“The map of Israel will change, the future of Israel will change, and it will change for the better,” said Netanyahu.
He expressed hope that the Palestinians will “reject the path of terrorism and incitement and finally embrace the path of peace and reconciliation.”
Netanyahu vowed never to place Israel’s future “in the hands of Palestinian rejectionists. I intend to continue to work to strengthen Israel in the coming years, militarily, economically, technologically and diplomatically. I believe real breakthroughs with the Arab states can happen a lot sooner than people think.”
“I guarantee you that as long as I’m Prime Minister, Iran will never have nuclear weapons. And I Know that in securing our future we do not stand alone. We have many friends who stand with us around the world, and we have no better friends than all of you, the proud members of AIPAC who have come to Washington to stand up for the great alliance between our wo countries.”
The US-Israel alliance “is stronger than ever before, and I have news for all those radicals who seek to weaken it. The best days of the US-Israel alliance are still to come.”