Benjamin Netanyahu: Israel will settle scores with those killing civilians
Netanyahu said that Israel would settle its account with “murderers and those who want to kill, and anyone who helps them. Not only won’t they have any rights, but we will extract the full price from them.”
The prime minister said that he was sure that the actions Israel will take will bring about a realization on the other side that “terror does not pay.”
Israel is strong, Netanyahu said, and despite the desire of the terrorists, “will be here forever.”
Netanyahu turned to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and said, “stop lying, stop inciting.” He said that Abbas must stop not only the lies coming from the PA regarding the Temple Mount, but also the falsehoods regarding the events of the last few days.
“You must fight the extremists who are causing civilians to pay the highest price,” the premier said. “The wild and deceitful indictment against us continues.”
Referring to the attack in Pisgat Ze’ev on Monday where a 13-year old Palestinian youth knifed a Jewish boy his age, Netanyahu said that an Arab youth critically wounded a Jewish youth, and when the security services stopped the attacker from continuing his stabbing rampage, “he is turned into a holy martyr who was executed for no reason.”
“First of all,” Netanyahu said, “he did not die, he is alive. Secondly, he was not executed, he wanted to execute others, to murder and kill. But your spokesman is presenting this in a completely different fashion.”
“Don’t turn murderers into heroes,” Netanyahu entreated Abbas, calling on him to fulfill his responsibility as a leader and work to restore calm.
Netanyahu also turned to Israel’s Arab population, entreating them not to be “misled” by inciters “who want to ignite a fire in the country.”
“We live together, we believe in co-existence,” he said. “It is very easy to unravel the cords that tie us together. Don’t go there. I know that a large part of the [Arab] population – and leaders among the Israeli Arabs – know exactly what I am saying. The leaders need to find the courage to say these things and stand up against the fanatics and extremists.”
Netanyahu also called on a jittery nation not to carry out any vigilante attacks. Israel is a nation of laws, he said, “and anyone who takes the law into their own hands will pay the price.”