PM on Nakba Day: 'There is no place for incitement'

Netanyahu says there should not be "hate, anger" on day only democracy in ME was established; Landau: "Reject Nakba Day as terrorist act."

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu open mouth 311 (R) (photo credit: REUTERS/Yin Dongxun)
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu open mouth 311 (R)
(photo credit: REUTERS/Yin Dongxun)
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu criticized those who commemorate Nakba Day in Sunday's cabinet meeting.
"The state was founded 63 years ago on the basis of the declaration of independence which promises equality of rights for all of our citizens regardless of religion, race and sex," Netanyahu said.
RELATED:Haniyeh on Nakba Day: Pray for an end to IsraelNetanyahu thanks Mitchell, blames PA for failure of talks
He added: "When one looks at the region today, Israeli Arabs are the only Arabs in the Middle East and North Africa that enjoy democratic rights, equality and civil rights."
"I regret that there are extremists among Israeli Arabs and in neighboring countries who have turned the day on which the State of Israel was established, the day on which the Israeli democracy was established, into a day of incitement, violence and rage."
"There is no place for that," the prime minister said. At the same meeting, National Infrastructures Minister Uzi Landau said that "there is a bold connection between Nakba Day and the agreement between Fatah and Hamas - both call for Israel's destruction." "Whoever shows empathy for the Nakba today will empathize with Holocaust survivors tomorrow," Landau added. "We need to reject Nakba day as a terrorist act that calls for the destruction of the State of Israel."