Friday’s clash on the Egyptian border that left one IDF soldier and three
terrorists dead just proves how important the government’s decision was a couple
years ago to build the 240-km. fence that is now nearing completion, Prime
Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Sunday.
Speaking at the weekly cabinet
meeting, Netanyahu said the fence – and the IDF activities along it – prevent
not only the entrance of illegal migrants, but also the infiltration of
terrorist cells.
The prime minister pointed out that the soldier who
died, Cpl. Netanel Yahalomi, did not have a combat medical profile, but through
stubborn determination fought to be a combat soldier “so he could defend the
homeland.”
Netanyahu also praised the soldiers of the Caracal unit – that
includes both men and women in active combat positions – for their role in
preventing the terrorist cell from infiltrating.
“I want to praise the
actions of the fighters, men and women, in preventing an attack that could have
been much more deadly,” he said.
“I think this also underscores again the
importance of the government’s decision to erect the security fence on the Sinai
border.”
Netanyahu also told the cabinet he will be leaving immediately
after Yom Kippur Wednesday night for New York to address the UN General
Assembly.
Referring to Iran, Netanyahu said he will “say again that it is
forbidden for the most dangerous nation in the world to get the most dangerous
weapons in the world.”
The prime minister told the cabinet that during
his three day stay he would meet with UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon, who he
criticized sharply last month for attending the Non-Aligned Movement’s summit in
Tehran. He will also meet with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who he
praised earlier this month for taking a “moral stand” and cutting ties with
Iran; and with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who he indirectly
criticized two weeks ago for being unwilling to lay down “red lines” on
Iran.
Netanyahu is also expected to meet with EU foreign policy chief
Catherine Ashton and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.
Defense
Minister Ehud Barak is in New York, and expected to meet with Clinton Sunday
evening.
He has held a number of meetings in the US in recent days,
including with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, former chief of staff to US President
Barack Obama.
Barak has reportedly stressed that Netanyahu’s comments
about the need for red lines on Iran have nothing to do with the US elections,
but rather only with concern about Iranian progress on its nuclear
program.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman will be flying with Netanyahu
to New York and will also hold diplomatic meetings there.