Netanyahu hails Israel as 'island of tranquility' amid Mideast chaos

In first cabinet meeting of Jewish new year, Premier says Israel's "sober, balanced" policy has brought calm.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at cabinet meeting 370 (photo credit: Emil Salman / Pool)
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at cabinet meeting 370
(photo credit: Emil Salman / Pool)
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu used the occasion of the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday to praise Israel as “an island of tranquility [amid] the storm raging around us.”
In the first cabinet meeting of the Jewish new year, the premier saluted the men and women of Israel’s security forces “for the quiet and peaceful holiday that we just had throughout the country.”
“This is not self-evident given the storm raging around us,” the premier said. “We are watching over Israel, an island of tranquility, quiet and security, which also stems from our responsible and balanced policy and the very professional and vigorous action – only some of which is known to the public – by all of the security arms.”
With political instability tying up Egypt and the imminent prospect of American military action in Syria, Israel has seen relative peace throughout the period that began with the Arab Spring.
“The combination of these two things – a sober, balanced and responsible policy and professional security action – is what brought us this quiet,” the prime minister said. “Insofar as it depends on us, we are working so that it will continue.”
Netanyahu also praised the police for the drop in the national crime rate.