Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains resolute despite world pressure and interference. He addressed the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee about his continued goals. He also discusses briefly a phone call with Joe Biden. (Courtesy: Israel Government Press Office)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Tuesday, 19 March 2024), made the following remarks at the start of his meeting with the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee [translated from Hebrew]:
“We are in a dual campaign – a military campaign and a diplomatic campaign. Of course, they are inter-connected, the diplomatic fight gives us the time and the resources to reach the full results of the war.
We have been fighting for over five months, this is a record in the history of Israel’s wars, except for the War of Independence. We are – of course – under growing international pressure, which we are rejecting in order to achieve the goals of the war. The goals of the war are, to be succinct: The destruction or elimination of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, the release of all of our hostages and ensuring that Gaza never again constitutes a threat to Israel.
In order to do this, we need to complete the military elimination of Hamas. There is no alternative to this. We cannot go around it; neither can we say ‘We will destroy 80% of Hamas and leave 20%’, because from that 20%, they will reorganize and take over the Strip again and – of course – constitute a new threat to Israel. And of course, this will be a victory for the greater axis that threatens us – the Iranian axis.
Therefore, we are determined to complete the elimination of Hamas. This requires the elimination of the remaining battalions in Rafah and – of course – the 1.5 battalions in the camps in the center. We are determined to do this. We have a debate that I will put on the table, and we all know it. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also said this yesterday. We have a debate with the Americans over the need to enter Rafah, not over the need to eliminate Hamas, but the need to enter Rafah. We see no way to eliminate Hamas militarily without destroying these remaining battalions. We are determined to do this.
Out of respect for the President, we agreed on a way in which they can present us with their ideas, especially on the humanitarian side; of course, we fully share this desire to facilitate an orderly exit of the population and the providing of humanitarian aid to the civilian population. We have been doing this since the beginning of the war.
However, I made it as clear as possible to the President that we are determined to complete the elimination of these battalions in Rafah, and there is no way to do this without a ground incursion.”
SC says
Make it so!
bill says
All commentators who have actually been to Israel know that the population is united in the struggle to eliminate Hamas. Calling for the change of government during time of war is simply collaboration with the enemy and those politicians who do so should be tried in criminal court
Kenneth Johnson says
Right on KEN
Walter Sieruk says
Senator Chuck Schumer words are a reflection of the left –wing ideology of Joe Biden when Schumer said “That Israel must stop the war with Hamas or face sections “
The very idea of the officials of the State of Israel stopping with war on Hamas is a fool idea..
For Hamas on October 7th 2023 started this war with its jihadist murderous invasion of Israel and the other heinous and vile atrocities the Hamas jihadists commuted and still commit .
Hamas, should be dealt with defeated and even destroyed is to hit it hard , hit it long and keep on hitting it with strong powerful forceful military strikes until it’s unable to raise up again with its ugly , vicious and deadly jihad Islamic head.
For its rightly and wisely said, “Half –measures in was is folly and madness.”
Concerning those horrific jihad attacks by Muslim terrorists of Hamas on October 7th, 2023
It’s very important and necessary for the Israeli government to launch retaliatory strikes against Hamas.
The reason why this is so had been explained over 200 years ago by a US President , Thomas Jefferson, who had wisely declared “With every barbarous people…force is law.”
Walter Sieruk says
Even before Senator Chuck Schumer had said that outlandishly fool statement terrible old Joe Biden actually that the gall to send a message to Benjamin Netanyahu of “Not to hit Hamas too hard.” Biden’s so called “advice” should be rejected.
It’s very obvious that treacherous old Joe must really admire and like the aggression of the hostile violent and murderous jihad of Islam.
It’s actually impossible to “hit Hamas too hard.” The reason why this is so is because as hard as the Israeli military can strike Hamas it never hard enough..
Nevertheless, Israel does need to strike Hamas as hard as she can keep on hitting that deadly savage jihad entity and not stop hitting it.
If not, Hamas will a resurgence, and in time, launch another malicious jihad attack against the State of Israel and murder more of her citizens.
That awful message that jihadist loving Joe is complete nonsense and total 100 % balderdash.
In contrast to the words of folly given by Biden, there is the wisdom that was spoken by a real US President, James Monroe, who declared in a speech “The right of self -defense never ceases. It is among the most sacred, and alike necessary to nations and individuals.”
Troybeam says
Israel better stop telling the world of their plans & start sending people out into the world and carry out their intentions.
DEIL says
You are doing great Prime Minister Netanyahu, B I B I.
God bless you.
God bless Israel.
Becca R says
I say to Israel keep going until the job is done. Does an oncologist stop midstream? No. HAMAS is a tumor, and it must be eradicated 100%.
Please do not be swayed by the American administration who to a man, woman or whatever) has zero understanding of the Middle East, or Islam. They arre repeating the same tired failed policies to placate the Hard Left of their party during an election year at the expense of Israel and ultimately the West at large. I stand 109% with the valiant fighters of the IDF and the other branches of the Israeli armed forcesces. They are to be admired for their dexterity, dedication, and morality.
Go get the enemy. Am Yisrael Chai!
James Lincoln says
Becca R says,
“Does an oncologist stop midstream? No. HAMAS is a tumor, and it must be eradicated 100%.”
Well stated, my compliments.
BHO stoool pigeon Biden says
All these satanists that insist that Hamas should survive are couch hypocrites. Not one of them would suffer what Israel has had happen to them. We all saw what the USA did after 9/11. The USA so called leadership are ungodly,unrighteous and lawless satanist sycophants. If the USA had a similar per capita terrorist attack,then 58,5500 would have been slaughtered in the most heinous atrocities and have taken as war booty Not hostages. read the Sira. Hadith and quran.
Everything that Obiden is telling Netanyahu to do, is why the USA never wins any war. It is why the world is in utter turmoil The USA’s officious foreign policy is an arrogant coercion USA positions overriding Sovereign states.
O’biden is caught in a trap of his own making if he deserts supporting Israel he will loose the only ally and democracy in the middle east and withe that loose all possibility of any influence in the M.E. trying to keep moslems in the USA on side so they will vote for him will not work as he will loose the Jewish vote which is larger than the moslem vote. Biden is a thoroughly corrupt man,full of avarice, political power mendacity and deceit he has been on both sides of so many issues one can hardly keep up. He is for for an issue before he is against it no remorse no apology no embarrassment. Every body ouside the USA is laughing at him. The self inflating fiction he tell others is the mark of a selfih individual that wants others to see him as accomplished are sadly comic.
Gamaliel’s adjurement Acts 5:34 -39 should be a warning to the whole USA of who the are really dealing against. Be very careful dissater waits.
Rufolino says
In 1944 none of the Allies said, “Let’s not hit Nazism too hard”. They had more sense.
JimJFox says
Absolutely. Islamic Jihad has slaughtered more than any other ideology in its long & disgusting history. And in the name of religion…
OLD GUY says
Biden can’t complete a sentence with out a prompter, so he wouldn’t understand Israel wanting to finish the job.
Scotsman48 says
Slimey Schumer would be better keeping his big mouth shut and take notice that Egypt has built a massive wire fence to keep the people of Gaza OUT of Egypt and that the Israeli MEN are hunting down the thugs that raped and beheaded their people, some being young girls at a Music Festival and others being babies.
Since when it is thought of as being a bad move to react to your enemy once they attacked you.
Shalom.