Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday evening said Israel is "prepared to
make compromises for peace," but the rest of the world must "wake up" to the
great challenges from Iran and Syria.
Addressing the Taglit-Birthright
Israel "Mega Event" crowd, where Birthright was celebrating its 13th year,
Netanyahu said: "I believe that it’s time for the rest of the world to wake up."
In an apparent dig at the US and European condemnation of recent plans to build in the E1 corridor, the prime minister said the greatest danger to the world is "not from
Jews building in our ancestral capital in Jerusalem."
Continuing, he said: "It’s from nuclear weapons
in Iran, those weapons that are built in Iran. It’s chemical weapons in Syria
falling into the wrong hands. That’s the danger we have to focus on," the prime
minister said.
Netanyahu stated that Israel understands and deals with
the dangers, but called on "responsible leaders" of the international community
to address the "real challenges to all of mankind.
The prime minister reiterated Israel's desire for peace, saying the country is "prepared to make compromises for peace."
He also addressed the issue of gender equality, saying that "men, women and minorities are free to pursue any dream they have." In an exclamatory tone, the prime minister said: "We have new pilots in the Israeli Air Force. Five women pilots! That’s the real Israel."