Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Sunday morning weekly Cabinet meeting, told his ministers, “I recently read a cogent remark by the noted American human rights leader Martin Luther King: ‘When people criticize Zionists, they mean Jews. You’re talking anti-Semitism.'”
With that in mind, Netanyahu said, “I commend my friend Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, under whose leadership the EU has called for the adoption of this definition of Martin Luther King – anti-Zionism is an expression of anti-Semitism. Nobody can say that they are not against Americans, but they just think that America shouldn’t exist, just as nobody can say that they are not against Jews, but they think that the state of the Jews does not need to exist. I thank the Austrian Chancellor for working to expose this absurdity and to precisely define anti-Zionism as a type of anti-Semitism.”
The PM then went on to say that “following the wave of murderous terrorist attacks in Judea and Samaria last week we have taken vigorous security and settlement actions,” noting: “We have revoked work permits for terrorists’ clans and in contrast to what has hitherto been the case, as Defense Minister I have ordered that the permits not be automatically restored after the revocation period. I sent a clear message to Hamas: We will not accept a situation in which there is a ceasefire in Gaza and terrorism in Judea and Samaria. We will exact a heavy price for this.”
Netanyahu then declared: “I have directed that the status of thousands of homes in settlements in Judea and Samaria be legalized, that two new industrial zones be established near Avnei Hefetz and Betar Ilit respectively, and that 82 new residential units be approved in Ofra. There will be other steps.”
“The Palestinian terrorists think that they can uproot us from the heart of our land. By our actions and the strength of our spirit we will make it clear to them and to the entire world that we are here to stay,” the PM said, adding, “Our forces located and eliminated two of the terrorists and a third turned himself in. Regarding the fourth, we are taking decisive action to find him and we will also deal with him to the fullest extent of the law. I ordered the acceleration of the demolition of terrorists’ homes.”