YouSaid · the spoken record
Benjamin Netanyahu
We hold 65 passages that may be Benjamin Netanyahu’s. We do not publish them until we can confirm who spoke. See the correction.
On the record 1998–2023
podcast · un-general-debate
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“Ahmed was the victim of a horrible terrorist attack perpetrated by Jews. He lay bandaged and unconscious as Israeli doctors worked around the clock to save him. No words could bring comfort to this boy or to his family. Nevertheless, as I stood by his bedside, I told his uncle: “This is not our people. This is not our way”. I then ordered extraordinary measures to bring Ahmed’s assailants to justice, and today the Jewish citizens of Israel accused of attacking the Dawabsha family are in jail awaiting trial. For some, that story shows that both sides have their extremists and that both sides are equally responsible for our seemingly endless conflict. However, what Ahmed’s story actually proves is the very opposite. It illustrates the profound difference between our two societies.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Imagine what it takes for a young boy or girl to break free of such a culture of hate. Some do, but far too many do not. How can any of us expect young Palestinians to support peace when their leaders poison their minds against peace? In Israel we do not do that; we educate our children for peace. In fact, my Government recently launched a pilot programme to make the study of Arabic mandatory for Jewish children, so that we can better understand each other, and so that we can live together side by side, in peace. Of course, like all societies, Israel has fringe elements. But it is our response to those fringe elements that makes all the difference. Let us consider the tragic case of Ahmed Dawabsha. I shall never forget visiting Ahmed in the hospital, just hours after he was attacked. This little boy — a baby — was badly burned.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“On YouTube, Ali watches a clip of President Abbas himself saying “we welcome every drop of blood spilled in Jerusalem”. Over dinner, Ali asks his mother what would happen if he killed a Jew and went to an Israeli prison. She tells him that he would be paid thousands of dollars each month by the Palestinian authorities. In fact, she tells him that the more Jews he killed, the more money he would get. When he gets out of prison, Ali would be guaranteed a job with the Palestinian authorities. All of that is not just a story, it is real. It happens every day, all the time. Sadly, Ali represents hundreds of thousands of Palestinian children who are indoctrinated with hate during every moment of every hour. That is child abuse. Imagine if it were our children undergoing such brainwashing.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“On his walk home, Ali looks up at a towering statue erected just a few weeks ago by the Palestinian authorities to honour Abu Sukar, who detonated a bomb in the centre of Jerusalem, killing 15 Israelis. When Ali gets home, he turns on the television and sees an interview with a senior Palestinian official, Jibril Rajoub, who says that, if he had a nuclear bomb, he would have detonated it over Israel that very morning. Ali then turns on the radio, and he hears President Abbas’ adviser Sultan Abu al-Einein urging Palestinians to “slit the throats of Israelis wherever you find them”. Ali checks his Facebook, and he sees a recent post by President Abbas’ Fatah party, calling the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics in 1972 a “heroic act”.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“When the Palestinians finally say yes to a Jewish State, we will be able to end our conflict once and for all. The real tragedy is that the Palestinians are not only trapped in the past, but their leaders are poisoning the future. By way of illustration, I want the Assembly to imagine a day in the life of a 13-year-old Palestinian boy named Ali. Ali wakes up before school and goes to soccer practice with a team named after Dalal Mughrabi, a Palestinian terrorist responsible for the murder of a busload of 37 Israelis. At school, Ali attends an event sponsored by the Palestinian Ministry of Education honouring Baha Alyan, who last year murdered three Israeli civilians.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“The conflict rages because for the Palestinians the real settlements they are after are Haifa, Jaffa and Tel Aviv. Keep in mind, the issue of settlements is a real one, and it can and must be resolved in final-status negotiations. But this conflict has never been about the settlements, nor about establishing a Palestinian State. It has always been about the existence of a Jewish State, a Jewish State within any boundaries. Israel is ready, as am I, to negotiate all final-status issues. However, one thing I will never negotiate is our right to our State, the one and only Jewish State. Change may be coming sooner than I thought. Had the Palestinians said yes to a Jewish State in 1947, there would have been no war, no refugees and no conflict.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Yet today, nearly 70 years later, the Palestinians still refuse to recognize those rights — not our right to a homeland, not our right to a State, not our right to anything. And that remains the true core of the conflict: the persistent Palestinian refusal to recognize the Jewish State in any boundary. One can see that the conflict is not about the settlements. It never was. The conflict raged for decades before there was a single settlement, when Judea, Samaria and Gaza were all in Arab hands. The West Bank and Gaza were in Arab hands, and they attacked us again and again and again. And when we uprooted all 21 settlements in Gaza and withdrew from every last inch of Gaza, we did not get peace from Gaza — we got thousands of rockets fired at us from Gaza.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“The Palestinians may just as well sue Iran for the Cyrus Declaration, which enabled the Jews to rebuild our Temple in Jerusalem 2,500 years ago. Come to think of it, why not a Palestinian class action suit against Abraham for buying that plot of land in Hebron where the fathers and mothers of the Jewish people were buried 4,000 years ago? It is as absurd as that. To sue the British Government for the Balfour Declaration? Is he kidding? And that is taken seriously here? President Abbas attacked the Balfour Declaration because it recognized the right of the Jewish people to a national home in the land of Israel. When the United Nations supported the establishment of a Jewish State in 1947, it recognized our historical and our moral rights to our homeland.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“That same Israel where gays march proudly in our streets and serve in our Parliament, including, I am proud to say, in my own Likud party. The starving children in North Korea’s brutal tyranny, are they helped by the demonization of Israel? Israel, whose agricultural know-how is feeding the hungry throughout the developing world? The sooner the United Nations obsession with Israel ends, the better — the better for Israel, the better for other countries, the better for the United Nations itself. If United Nations habits die hard, Palestinian habits die even harder. President Abbas just attacked, from this rostrum, the Balfour Declaration. He is preparing a lawsuit against Britain for that declaration from 1917. That is almost 100 years ago — talk about being stuck in the past.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Perhaps because some do not appreciate that the obsessive bias against Israel is not just a problem for my country, it is a problem for the other countries too. If the United Nations spends so much time condemning the only liberal democracy in the Middle East, it has far less time to address war, disease, poverty, climate change and all of the other serious problems that plague the planet. Are the half-million slaughtered Syrians helped by Member States’ condemnation of Israel? The same Israel that has treated thousands of injured Syrians in our hospitals, including a field hospital that I built right along the Golan Heights border with Syria. Are the gays hanging from cranes in Iran helped by acts to denigrate Israel?”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Given the United Nations history of hostility towards Israel, does anyone really believe that Israel will let the United Nations determine our security and our vital national interests? We will not accept any attempt by the United Nations to dictate terms to Israel. The road to peace runs through Jerusalem and Ramallah, not through New York. But regardless of what happens in the months ahead, I have total confidence that, in the years ahead, the revolution in Israel’s standing among the nations will finally penetrate this Hall of nations. I have so much confidence, in fact, that I predict that a decade from now an Israeli Prime Minister will stand right here where I am standing and actually applaud the United Nations. But I want to ask: why do we have to wait a decade? Why keep vilifying Israel?”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Finally, mercifully, Hiroo’s former commanding officer was sent to persuade him to come out of hiding. Only then did Hiroo lay down his arms. I have one message for those present here today, that is, that they too should lay down their arms. The war against Israel at the United Nations is over. Perhaps some of those present do not know it yet, but I am confident that one day in the not too distant future they will also get the message from their leaders informing them that the war against Israel at the United Nations has ended. Yes, I know, there might be a storm before the calm. I know there is talk about ganging up on Israel at the United Nations later this year.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“I believe the day is not far off when Israel will be able to rely on many countries to stand with us at the United Nations. Slowly but surely, the days when United Nations Ambassadors reflexively condemn Israel are coming to an end. Today’s automatic majority against Israel at the United Nations reminds me of the incredible story of Hiroo Onada, who was a Japanese soldier sent to the Philippines in 1944. He lived in the jungle. He scavenged for food. He evaded capture. Eventually he surrendered, but that did not happen until 1974, some 30 years after the end of the Second World War. For decades, Hiroo refused to believe the war was over. As Hiroo was hiding in the jungle, Japanese tourists were swimming in pools in American luxury hotels in nearby Manila.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“It reflects, above all else, the overwhelming support for Israel among the American people, support which is at record highs and for which we are deeply grateful. The United Nations denounces Israel; the United States supports Israel. And a central pillar of that defence has been America’s consistent support for Israel at the United Nations. I appreciate President Obama’s commitment to that long-standing United States policy. In fact, the only time that the United States cast a Security Council veto during the Obama presidency was against an anti-Israel draft resolution in 2011 (see S/PV.6484). As President Obama rightly declared at this rostrum, peace will not come from statements and resolutions at the United Nations.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“For the first time in my lifetime, many other States in the region recognize that Israel is not their enemy. They recognize that Israel is their ally. Our common enemies are Iran and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham. Our common goals are security, prosperity and peace. I believe that, in the years ahead, we will work together to achieve those goals, work together openly. Therefore, Israel’s diplomatic relations are undergoing nothing less than a revolution. But in that revolution we never forget that our cherished alliance, our deepest friendship, is with the United States of America, the powerful and the most generous nation on Earth. Our unbreakable bond with the United States of America transcends parties and politics.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“That was the first visit to Africa by an Israeli Prime Minister in decades. Later today, I will be meeting with leaders from 17 African countries. We will discuss how Israeli technology can help them in their efforts to transform their countries. In Africa, things are changing. In China, India, Russia and Japan, attitudes towards Israel have changed as well. Those powerful nations know that, despite Israel’s small size, it can make a big difference in many areas that are important to them. But now I am going to surprise everyone even more. The biggest changes in attitudes towards Israel is taking place elsewhere. It is taking place in the Arab world. Our peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan continue to be anchors of stability in the volatile Middle East.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“How about cybersecurity? That is an issue that affects everyone. Israel accounts for one tenth of 1 per cent of the world’s population, yet last year we attracted some 20 per cent of the global private investment in cybersecurity. If we digest that number, we see that Israel is punching a whopping 200 times above its weight. Therefore, Israel is also a global cybersecurity Power. If hackers are targeting banks, planes, power grids and just about everything else, Israel can offer indispensable help. Governments are changing their attitudes towards Israel because they know that Israel can help them protect, feed and improve the lives of their people. This summer, I had an unbelievable opportunity to see that change vividly during an unforgettable visit to four African countries.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“World leaders increasingly appreciate that Israel is a powerful country with one of the best intelligence services on Earth. Because of our unmatched experience and proven capabilities in fighting terrorism, many Governments will seek our help in keeping their countries safe. Many also seek to benefit from Israel’s ingenuity in agriculture, in health, in water, in cybersecurity and in the fusion of big data, connectivity and artificial intelligence — that fusion that is changing our world in every way. Israel leads the world in recycling wastewater. We recycle about 90 per cent of our wastewater. How remarkable is that? Given that the next country on the list recycles only about 20 per cent of its wastewater, Israel is a global water Power. If we have a thirsty world, and we do, there is no better ally than Israel.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Therefore, when it comes to Israel at the United Nations, one might well think that nothing will ever change. Well, think again. Everything will change, and a lot sooner than one might think. The change will happen in this Hall, because back home Governments are rapidly changing their attitudes towards Israel. Sooner or later, that is going to change the way everyone votes on Israel at the United Nations. More and more nations in Asia, in Africa and in Latin America see Israel as a potent partner in fighting the terrorism of today and in developing the technology of tomorrow. Today, Israel has diplomatic relations with over 160 countries, nearly double the number from when I served here as Israel’s Ambassador some 30 years ago. Those ties are getting broader and deeper every day.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“As women are being systematically raped, murdered and sold into slavery across the world, which is the only country that the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women chose to condemn this year? Yes, Israel. Israel, where women fly fighter jets, lead major corporations, head universities, preside — twice — over the Supreme Court, and have served as Speaker of the Knesset and Prime Minister. And that circus continues at UNESCO, the United Nations body charged with preserving world heritage. This is hard to believe, but UNESCO just denied the 4,000-year connection between the Jewish people and its holiest site, the Temple Mount. That is just as absurd as denying the connection between the Great Wall of China and China. The United Nations, which began as a moral force, has become a moral farce.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“What I am about to say is going to shock everyone — Israel has a bright future at the United Nations. I know that hearing that from me must surely come as a surprise, because year after year I have stood at this very rostrum and slammed the United Nations for its obsessive bias against Israel. And the United Nations has deserved every scathing word — for instance, for the disgrace of the General Assembly last year, which adopted 20 resolutions against the democratic State of Israel and a grand total of three resolutions against all the other countries on the planet. Israel, 20; the rest of the world, three. And what about the joke called the United Nations Human Rights Council, which each year condemns Israel more than all the countries of the world combined?”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“More than ever, Israel is defending the world!”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“In the Middle East, those values are under savage assault by militant Islamists, who are forcing millions of terrified people to flee to distant shores. Just 10 miles from ISIS and a few hundred yards from Iran’s murderous proxies, Israel stands in the breach, proudly and courageously defending freedom and progress. Israel is civilization’s front line in the battle against barbarism. So here is a novel idea for the United Nations. Instead of continuing the shameful routine of bashing Israel, the international community should stand with Israel. The international community should stand with Israel as we work to check the fanaticism at its doors. It should stand with Israel as we prevent that fanaticism from even reaching its doors. The international community should stand with Israel because Israel is not just defending itself.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“They are on display when Israel’s feisty parliament vigorously debates every issue under the sun; when Israel’s Chief Justice sits in her chair at our fiercely independent Supreme Court; when our Christian community continues to grow and thrive from year to year, whereas Christian communities elsewhere in the Middle East are decimated; when a brilliant young Israeli Muslim student gives her valedictorian address at one of our finest universities; and when Israeli doctors and nurses — doctors and nurses from the Israeli military — treat thousands of wounded from the killing fields of Syria and thousands more in the wake of natural disasters from Haiti to Nepal. That is the true face of Israel. Those are the values of Israel.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Because, unlike the Powers that ruled Jerusalem in the past, Israel respects the holy sites and the freedom of worship of Jews, Muslims, Christians — everyone. And that will never change. Because Israel will always stay true to its values. Those values are on display each and every day.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“What President Abbas should be speaking out against are the actions of the militant Islamists who are smuggling explosives into the Al-Aqsa Mosque and who are trying to prevent Jews and Christians from visiting the holy sites. That is the real threat to those sacred sites. A thousand years before the birth of Christianity, more than 1,500 years before the birth of Islam, King David made Jerusalem our capital, and King Solomon built the Temple on that Mount. Yet Israel will always respect the sacred shrines of all religions. In a region plagued by violence and by unimaginable intolerance, in which Islamic fanatics are destroying the ancient treasures of civilization, Israel stands out as a towering beacon of enlightenment and tolerance. Far from endangering the holy sites, Israel ensures their safety.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Today, 31 years after I stood here for the first time, I am still asking when the United Nations will finally check its anti-Israel fanaticism at the door, when the United Nations will finally stop slandering Israel as a threat to peace and when it will actually start helping Israel advance peace. The same question should be posed to Palestinian leaders. When will they start working with Israel to advance peace and reconciliation, stop libelling Israel and stop inciting hatred and violence? Here is a good place for President Abbas to begin. He should stop spreading lies about Israel’s alleged intentions on the Temple Mount. Israel is fully committed to maintaining the status quo there.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Here is just one absurd example of 30/55 15-29658 01/10/2015 A/70/PV.22 that obsession. In the four years of horrific violence in Syria, more than a quarter of a million people have lost their lives. That is more than 10 times the number of Israelis and Palestinians combined who have lost their lives in a century of conflict between us. Yet last year, the Assembly adopted 20 resolutions against Israel and only one resolution about the savage slaughter in Syria. Talk about injustice. Talk about disproportionality. Count them: 20. And one against Syria. Well, frankly I am not surprised. To borrow a line from Yogi Berra, the late, great baseball player and part-time philosopher, when it comes to the annual bashing of Israel at the United Nations, it is déjà vu all over again. Enough is enough.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“If we actually sit down together, if we actually negotiate and stop negotiating about the negotiation, and if we actually sit down to try to resolve the conflict between us, recognizing each other and not using a Palestinian State as a stepping stone for yet another Islamist dictatorship in the Middle East but as something that will live at peace next to the Jewish State, we can do remarkable things for our peoples. The United Nations can help advance peace by supporting direct, unconditional negotiations between the parties. The United Nations will certainly not help advance peace by trying to impose solutions or by encouraging Palestinian rejectionism, And the United Nations should do one more thing. The United Nations should finally rid itself of its obsessive bashing of Israel.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Unfortunately, we heard that rejectionism again only yesterday from President Abbas. How can Israel make peace with a Palestinian partner who refuses to even sit at the negotiating table? Israel expects the Palestinian Authority to abide by its commitments. The Palestinians should not walk away from peace. I would like to tell President Abbas that I know it is not easy. I know it is hard. But we owe it to our peoples to try, to continue to try.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Those who know the price of war can best appreciate what the blessings of peace would mean — for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren. I am prepared to immediately resume direct peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority without any preconditions whatsoever. Unfortunately, President Abbas said yesterday that he is not prepared to do that. I hope he changes his mind, because I remain committed to a vision of two States for two peoples, in which a demilitarized Palestinian State recognizes the Jewish State. As members know, the peace process began over two decades ago. Yet despite the best efforts of six Israeli prime ministers — Rabin, Peres, Barak, Sharon, Olmert and myself — the Palestinians have consistently refused to end the conflict and to make a final peace with Israel.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“They were also perfected in Israel, in case someone did not know. We are so proud in Israel of the long strides that our country has been able to take in a short time. We are so proud that our small country is making such a huge contribution to the entire world. Yet the dreams of our people, enshrined for eternity by the great prophets of the Bible, will be fully realized only when there is peace. As the Middle East descends into chaos, Israel’s peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan are two cornerstones of stability. Israel remains committed to achieving peace with the Palestinians as well. Israelis know the price of war. I know the price of war. I was nearly killed in battle. I lost many friends. I lost my beloved brother Yoni.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Israel is a world leader in science and technology, in cybertechnology, software, water, agriculture, medicine, biotechnology and so many other fields that are being revolutionized by Israeli ingenuity and Israeli innovation. Israel is the innovation nation. Israeli know-how is everywhere. It is in our computers’ microprocessors and flash drives. It is in our smart phones, when we send instant messages and navigate our cars. It is on our farms, when we drip-irrigate our crops and keep our grains and produce fresh. It is in our universities, when we study Nobel Prize-winning discoveries in chemistry and economics. It is in our medicine cabinets, when we use drugs to treat Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. It is even on our plates, when we eat delicious cherry tomatoes.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Israel deeply appreciates President Obama’s willingness to bolster our security and to help Israel maintain its qualitative military edge in order to confront the enormous challenges we face. Israel is grateful that this sentiment is widely shared by the American people and its representatives in Congress — both by those who supported the deal and by those who opposed it. President Obama and I have both said that our differences over the nuclear deal are a disagreement within the family. But we have no disagreement about the need to work together to secure our common future. And what a great future it could be. Israel is uniquely poised to take advantage of the promise of the twenty-first century.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“And when 15-29658 29/55 A/70/PV.22 01/10/2015 one’s enemies fight each other, one does not strengthen either one. One weakens both. Common dangers are clearly bringing Israel and its Arab neighbours closer. As we work together to thwart the dangers that I have mentioned, I hope that we will build lasting partnerships for security, for prosperity and for peace. But in Israel, we never forget one thing. We never forget that Israel’s most important partner has always been, and will always be, the United States of America. The alliance between Israel and the United States is unshakeable. President Obama and I agree on the need to keep arms out of the hands of Iran’s terror proxies. We agree on the need to stop Iran from destabilizing countries throughout the Middle East.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“What the international community now needs to do is clear: first, it must make Iran comply with all its nuclear obligations, and hold Iran’s feet to the fire. Secondly, Iran’s regional aggression must be put in check by supporting and strengthening those fighting Iran’s aggression, beginning with Israel. Thirdly, use sanctions and all the tools available to tear down Iran’s global terror network. Israel is working closely with our Arab peace partners to address our common security challenges from Iran and also the security challenges from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and from others. We are also working with other States in the Middle East, as well as with countries in Africa, in Asia and beyond. Many in our region know that both Iran and ISIL are our common enemies.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Whatever resolutions they may adopt in this building, whatever decisions they may take in their capitals, Israel will do whatever it must do to defend our State and to defend our people. As the deal with Iran moves ahead, I hope it will be enforced — how can I put this? — with a little more rigour than was shown with the six Security Council resolutions that Iran has systematically violated and which now have been effectively discarded. I would call for ensuring that the inspectors actually inspect, that the snapback sanctions actually snap back, and that Iran’s violations not be swept under the Persian rug. There is one thing I can assure the Assembly of today that Israel will be watching closely.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“It has enabled us to live as a free people in our ancestral homeland. It has enabled us to embrace Jews who have come from the four corners of the Earth to find refuge from persecution. They have come from war-torn Europe, from Yemen, Iraq, and Morocco, from Ethiopia and the Soviet Union, from a hundred other lands. And today, as a rising tide of anti-Semitism once again sweeps across Europe and elsewhere, many Jews come to Israel to join us in building the Jewish future. So here is my message to the rulers of Iran. Their plan to destroy Israel will fail. Israel will not permit any force on Earth to threaten its future. And here is my message to all the countries represented here.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“And now another regime has arisen, swearing to destroy Israel. That regime would be wise to consider this fact: I stand here today representing Israel, a country that is 67 years young but is the nation State of a people nearly 4,000 years old. The empires of Babylon and Rome are not represented in this Hall of nations, nor is the 1,000-year Reich. Those seemingly invincible empires are long gone. But Israel lives. The people of Israel live. The rebirth of Israel is a testament to the indomitable spirit of my people. For a hundred generations, the Jewish people dreamed of returning to the land of Israel. Even in our darkest hours — and we had so many — even in our darkest hours, we never gave up hope of rebuilding our eternal capital, Jerusalem. The establishment of Israel made it possible to realize that dream.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“We have spoken up, we are speaking up, and we will continue to do so. Not being passive also means defending ourselves against those dangers. We have. We are. And we will. Israel will not allow Iran to break in, to sneak in or to walk into the nuclear-weapons club. I know that preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons remains the official policy of the international community. But no one should question Israel’s determination to defend itself against those who seek our destruction. For in every generation, there have been those who sought to destroy our people. In antiquity, we faced destruction from the ancient empires of Babylon and Rome. In the Middle Ages, we faced inquisitions and expulsions. And in modern times, we faced pogroms and the Holocaust. Yet the Jewish people persevered.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Now this fact needs to be remembered: Iran already has missiles that can reach Israel. So those intercontinental ballistic missiles that Iran is building are not meant for us. They are meant for others — for Europe, for America, for raining down mass destruction anytime, anywhere. It is not easy to oppose something that is embraced by the greatest Powers in the world. Believe me, it would be far easier to remain silent. But throughout our history, the Jewish people have learned the heavy price of silence. And as the Prime Minister of the Jewish State, as someone who knows that history, I refuse to be silent. I will say it again. The days when the Jewish people remained passive in the face of genocidal enemies — those days are over. Not being passive means speaking up about those dangers.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Perhaps members of the Assembly can now understand why Israel is not joining in the general celebration of the deal. If Iran’s rulers were working to destroy other members’ countries, perhaps they would be less enthusiastic about the deal. If Iran’s terror proxies were firing thousands of rockets at other members’ cities, perhaps they would be more measured in their praise. And if the deal were unleashing a nuclear 28/55 15-29658 01/10/2015 A/70/PV.22 arms race in their neighbourhoods, perhaps they would be more reluctant to celebrate. But no one should think that Iran is a danger only to Israel. Besides Iran’s aggression in the Middle East and its terror campaign around the world, Iran is also building intercontinental ballistic missiles whose sole purpose is to carry nuclear warheads.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“We are glad that we are in the forefront of executing the Supreme Leader’s order to destroy Israel.” As for the Supreme Leader himself, a few days after the nuclear deal was announced, he released his latest book. It is a 400-page screed detailing his plan to destroy the State of Israel. Last month, Khamenei once again made his genocidal intentions clear. Before Iran’s top clerical body, the Assembly of Experts, he spoke about Israel, which is home to over 6 million Jews. He pledged that “there will be no Israel in 25 years”. Seventy years after the murder of 6 million Jews, Iran’s rulers promise to destroy my country, murder my people, and the response from this body, the response from nearly every one of the Governments represented here, has been absolutely nothing — utter silence, deafening silence.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“I am gravely concerned that the nuclear deal with Iran will prove to be the marriage certificate of that unholy union. I know that some well-intentioned people sincerely believe that this deal is the best way to block Iran’s path to the bomb. However, one of history’s most important, yet least learned lessons, is that the best intentions do not prevent the worst outcomes. The vast majority of Israelis believe that this nuclear deal with Iran is a very bad deal. What makes matters even worse is that we see the world celebrating this bad deal, rushing to embrace and do business with a regime that is openly committed to our destruction. Last week, Major General Salehi, the Commander of Iran’s Army, proclaimed “We will annihilate Israel, for sure.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“This deal will treat Iran like a normal country even if it remains a dark theocracy that conquers its neighbours, sponsors terrorism worldwide and chants, “Death to Israel, death to America!” Does anyone seriously believe that flooding a radical theocracy with weapons and cash will curb its appetite for aggression? Does anyone here really believe that a theocratic Iran with sharper claws and sharper fangs will be more likely to change its stripes? There is a general rule that I have learned — and that that those here must have learned it in their lifetime — which is that when bad behaviour is rewarded, it only gets worse. I have long said that the greatest danger that the world faces is the coupling of militant Islam with nuclear weapons.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“This deal does place several constraints on Iran’s nuclear programme, and rightly so, because the international community recognizes that Iran is particularly dangerous. But, here is the catch. Under this deal, if Iran does not change its behaviour — in fact, even if it becomes more dangerous in the years to come — the most important constraints will still be automatically lifted by year 10 and by year 15. That would place a militant Islamic terror regime weeks away from having the fissile material for an entire arsenal of nuclear bombs. That just does not make any sense. I have said that if Iran wants to be treated like a normal country, let it act like a normal country.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“For those here who believe that the deal in Vienna will bring about a change in Iran’s policy, listen to what Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, said five days after the nuclear deal was reached: “Our policies towards the arrogant Government of the United States will not change”. The United States, he vowed, will continue to be Iran’s enemy. While giving the mullahs more money is likely to fuel more repression inside Iran, it will definitely fuel more aggression outside Iran. As the leader of a country defending itself every day against Iran’s growing aggression, I wish that I could take comfort in the claim that this deal blocks Iran’s path to nuclear weapons, but I cannot, because it does not.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Two years later, Iran is executing more political prisoners, escalating its regional aggression and rapidly expanding its global terror net. They say that actions speak louder than words, but, in Iran’s case, their words speak as loudly as their actions. Just listen to the Deputy Commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Qods Force. In February, he said that “the Islamic Revolution is not limited by geographic borders”. He boasted that Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Yemen are among the countries being “conquered by the Islamic Republic of Iran”. He said “conquered”.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“I repeat, Iran has been doing all of this — everything that I have just described — just within the past six months, when it was trying to convince the world to remove the sanctions. Just imagine what Iran will do after those sanctions are lifted. Unleashed and unmuzzled, Iran will go on the prowl, devouring more and more prey. In the wake of the nuclear deal, Iran is spending billions of dollars on weapons and satellites. Does anyone here think that Iran is doing that to 15-29658 27/55 A/70/PV.22 01/10/2015 advance peace? Does anyone here think that hundreds of billions of dollars in sanctions relief and fat contracts will turn that rapacious tiger into a kitten? People who think so should think again. In 2013, President Rouhani began his so-called charm offensive here at the United Nations.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Israel will continue to act to prevent the transfer of strategic weapons to Hizbullah from and through Syrian territory. Every few weeks, Iran and Hizbullah set up new terrorist cells in cities throughout the world. Three such cells were recently uncovered in Kuwait, Jordan and Cyprus. In May, security forces in Cyprus raided a Hizbullah agent’s apartment in the city of Larnaca. There they found five tons of ammonium nitrate — roughly the same amount of ammonium nitrate used to blow up the Federal Building in Oklahoma City. And that was just in one apartment, in one city, in one country. But Iran is setting up dozens of terrorist cells like that around the world. They are setting up those terror cells in this hemisphere as well.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2015Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.