DAVOS (EJP)—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he believes Israeli and Arab leaders can work together against common threats like Iran’s nuclear program or Islamic extremism.
at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that he believes Israeli and Arab leaders can work together against common threats like Iran’s nuclear program or Islamic extremism.
“Central Arab governments are preoccupied with the Iranian nuclear weapons and the Muslim brotherhood,” Netanyahu said at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos.
“The nations do not see Israel as an enemy but as a potential ally to combat these threats. They are not assured by the soft words spoken earlier by the president of Iran. They get it. We all wish there was a real change in Iran.”
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who is also attending the Davos forum, spoke earlier in the day, telling world leaders that his country has never sought nuclear weapons. But Netanyahu said Rouhani’s speech had “no connection to what’s going on, on the ground.”
He said Rouhani “is continuing with the Iranian show of deception.” “Iran remains aggressive, supports terror… participates in the slaughter in Syria… is pursuing the development of ballistic missile and plutonium for nuclear weapons,” he said.
Netanyahu described Rouhani’s speech as having “no connection to what is going on on the ground.” He said that Rouhani’s words “sound nice” but are “false.”
The Israeli premier added that the removal of the Iranian nuclear threat would help bring about peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
“Half of Palestinian society is dominated by Iran’s proxy (Hamas),” he said.
Striking a similar tone, Israel’s President Shimon Peres, who is to receive the “Spirit of Davos” award, told a press conference that “the most significant remarks” were those which Rouhani “didn’t make.”
Peres noted, “He is the only leader I know who didn’t say clearly the time has come to make peace between Israel and the Arabs.” He also pointed out that Rouhani “didn’t announce he is going to stop sending arms to Hezbollah… He didn’t announce Iran will stop being the centre of terror of our time.”
The president added, “as far as Israel is concerned we are ready to make peace with the Iranian people,” but that “today was a great occasion that was missed” by Rouhani, who pledged peace only with countries “Iran will accept.”