By: Gil Tanenbaum
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, on Sunday, made a number of remarks at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting. He spoke largely about the capture of four of the six escaped terrorists. He also talked about the Coronavirus and the need for all Israelis to go out and get vaccinated.
Bennett also had some words about the threat from Iran and that country’s nuclear program. He referred to two reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that were published on the issue last week.
“These reports have given an official stamp to what we have been saying for a long time: The Iranians are advancing unhindered with their nuclear program,” declared Bennett. “They are ignoring the IAEA guidelines. They are simply disrespecting it, and are trying to disguise the fact that their program was, and remains a nuclear weapons program.”
The Prime Minister explained that, according to the first report, the Iranians are continuing to enrich uranium to a high level at several sites, while blocking the possibility of effective monitoring of the nuclear program.
“The Iranians understand that they are facing world powers that are very interested in returning to the nuclear deal at almost any cost – and I remind you, we do not believe in this agreement,” he said. This is because, explained Bennett, it does not provide the necessary oversight and guarantees. “The Iranians are dragging things out and making progress in the meantime. According to the second report, Iran is ignoring the IAEA demands to investigate evidence that indicates the existence of a weapons program in Iran,” he added.
“I hereby call on world powers not to be misled by the Iranian smokescreen that will lead to further concessions. There can be no giving in on the investigation of the sites and the most important message is that time must be allotted for this. They are delaying, but a distinct and clear deadline must be set that says ‘no more’.”
Naftali Bennett also stated that Iran’s nuclear program is at its most advanced point ever.” This is the legacy that this government has received, but now it is our watch. We are committed, and we will deal with this program,” he said.
On the capture of the escaped prisoners, Naftali Bennett praised, “everyone who shared in the effort: The Israel Police, the ISA, the IDF, the special units, the trackers, all those who worked day and night for a week to put the terrorists back in prison.”
“We are two-thirds of the way there; we have recaptured four of the six terrorists,” he added. “The effort to put the other two back in prison is continuing at these very moments.”
Bennett was critical of what he described as the many mistakes that allowed the escape to happen in the first place. He lamented that it will take a great deal of energy and effort necessary to correct the failures in the system. The Prime Minister mentioned the committee of inquiry into the escape being established by Public Security Minister Bar-Lev.
“There will be a comprehensive and serious inquiry, but we are taking a wider look and see what happened as a wake-up call,” he pledged. Bennett said that some of Israel’s security systems atrophied in recent years and need to be repaired. “Things can, and must, be done differently, especially regarding a security agency like the Prison Service.”
(TPS)
