‘’It is legitimate that everyone will have his own view. This is why this dialogue is taking place. We know how to face criticism, we get used to face criticism. It’s ok as long as criticism is not connected to delegimization, demonization or double standards which from time to time are things we see in the attacks against Israel. But we are ready to discuss everything with an open mind,’’ Gideon Sa’ar said ahead of the meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council Monday afternoon.

‘’I am glad to be here for the meeting of the Association Council between the EU and Israel. I am looking for a constructive dialogue, an open and honest one. And I believe that this is what will be,’’ declared Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon’s Saar upon his arrival at the Council of Ministers in Brussels on Monday.

The minister is in the Belgian capital to co-chair a meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council together with EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas.

‘’We are now in the middle of a temporary ceasefire in Gaza. We want to continue the framework to release our hostages. We demand the release of our hostages. The war in Gaza will not be finished before all the hostages will be back home in Israel,’’ Sa’ar told reporters.

Asked what will be his message to European capitals that have expressed an interest in helping rebuild Gaza in the day afte and have also pressing for more humanitarian access to Gaz, the minister responded: ‘’We are not there (the day after) yet. The day when there will be no hostages in the Gaza Strip. We must also make sure that the Gaza Strip will be disarmed totally, that terrorist organizations like Hamas and Islamic Jihad will step down. These are the conditions for the day after. It is an option to reach it by political means and if not by the resume of military operations.‘’

Regarding Israel’s current military operation in the West Bank where troops were told to prepare fora n extended stay, Sa’ar stressed that ‘’what we are doing in what you call West Bank and we call Judea and Samaria is defending our security.’’ ‘’It is a military operation there taking place against terrorists. No other objective but this one,’’ he added.

Responding to t he fact that some member states, like Spain and Ireland, want not to discuss bilateral ties or deepened cooperation but rather to review the Association Agreement because of ‘’suspected violations of that agreement in terms of respect for human rights provisions,’’ the Israeli minister emphasized that the letter of invitation for the meeting he received from Kaja doesn’t mention at all these concerns.

‘’Of course it is legitimate that everyone will have his own view. This is why this dialogue is taking place. We know how to face criticism, we get used to face criticism. It’s ok as long as criticism is not connected to delegimization, demonization or double standards which from time to time are things we see in the attacks against Israel. But we are ready to discuss everything with an open mind,’’ he said.