UNITED NATIONS: Israel鈥檚 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran Tuesday that as long as it seeks Israel鈥檚 destruction it will face no fiercer enemy than the Jewish state and he vowed to prevent Tehran from establishing permanent military bases in Syria and from producing weapons in Syria or Lebanon.
The Israeli leader said he had a message for Iran鈥檚 supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: 鈥淭he light of Israel will never be extinguished. ... Those who threaten us with annihilation put themselves in mortal peril.鈥�
He again called for the 鈥渄angerous鈥� nuclear deal with Iran to be scrapped or fixed, warning world leaders gathered at the UN General Assembly that if nothing changes Tehran will follow North Korea and produce hundreds of nuclear weapons.
鈥淣ixing the deal means restoring massive pressure on Iran, including crippling sanctions, until Iran fully dismantles its nuclear weapons capability,鈥� Netanyahu said. 鈥淔ixing the deal requires many things, among them inspecting military and any other site that is suspect, and penalizing Iran for every violation.鈥�
Netanyahu called for the deal to be reworked to eliminate its expiration dates on certain provisions that limit Iran鈥檚 nuclear activity. In reality, Iran has little incentive to negotiate such concessions.
The Israeli leader also accused Iran of 鈥渃onducting a campaign of conquest across the Middle East,鈥� spreading a 鈥渃urtain of tyranny and terror over Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and elsewhere.鈥� And he said it is developing ballistic missiles 鈥渢o threaten the entire world.鈥�
But Netanyahu said he also had a simple message for the Iranian people: 鈥淵ou are not our enemy, you are our friends.鈥� And he repeated 鈥測ou are our friends鈥� in Farsi, one of Iran鈥檚 main languages.
鈥淥ne day, my Iranian friends, you will be free from the evil regime that terrorizes you ... and when that day of liberation finally comes, the friendship between our two ancient peoples will surely flourish once again,鈥� he said.
Netanyahu started his speech on a positive note, saying Israel is in the midst of 鈥渁 great revolution 鈥� a revolution in Israel鈥檚 standing among nations.鈥�
He said this is happening because 鈥渟o many nations have woken up to what Israel can do for them鈥� as a leader in innovation, technology, and in recognizing its 鈥渆xceptional capabilities in fighting terrorism.鈥�
As for the United Nations, Netanyahu said for too long it has been 鈥渢he epicenter of global anti-Semitism.鈥�
鈥淎nd while it may take many years, I am absolutely confident that the revolution in Israel鈥檚 ties with individual nations will ultimately be reflected in this hall of nations,鈥� he said.
Netanyanu said he made that statement because of the 鈥渕arked change鈥� in the US government鈥檚 position.
鈥淭hanks to President (Donald) Trump鈥檚 unequivocal support for Israel in this body, that positive change is gathering force,鈥� he said.