Netanyahu: Khamenei is putting himself in danger by threatening Israel

PM spoke with leaders of Sudan and Chad, and expressed wish to increase ties with more Muslim countries.

By LAHAV HARKOV
Benjamin Netanyahu at the unity government's meeting (photo credit: POOL)
Benjamin Netanyahu at the unity government's meeting
(photo credit: POOL)
Anyone who threatens Israel is in danger, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned, responding in his comments at the opening of Sunday’s cabinet meeting to remarks by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over the weekend.
Announcing the formation of the new government’s diplomatic and security cabinet, Netanyahu warned: “The threats haven’t stopped. You hear Khamenei threaten us with destruction. Anyone threatening us with destruction won’t succeed and puts himself in great danger.”
“It is our policy to oppose Iranian aggression everywhere,” he said. “We are blocking them from establishing bases in Syria and… developing weapons in Syria that can endanger the State of Israel.”
On Friday, Khamenei said: “The Zionist regime [Israel] is a deadly, cancerous tumor in the region. It will undoubtedly be uprooted and destroyed.”
Khamenei confirmed that the Iranian mullahs’ regime had been arming terrorists in Gaza.
“Iran realized Palestinian fighters’ only problem was lack of access to weapons,” he said. “With divine guidance and assistance, we planned – and the balance of power has been transformed in Palestine... today the Gaza Strip can stand against the aggression of the Zionist enemy and defeat it.”
Iran marked Quds Day – a holiday in honor of Jerusalem and against Israel – on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
In the same cabinet meeting, Netanyahu mentioned that he had spoken to the leaders of Chad and Sudan in recent days and wished them a happy Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of Ramadan.
Netanyahu met with Sudanese leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in Uganda in February, where they agreed to move toward normalization. Netanyahu visited Chad in early 2019, where he and Chadian President Idriss Deby announced the resumption of diplomatic relations for the first time since 1972.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who is also alternate prime minister, pointed out that Sunday marked 20 years since the IDF left Lebanon, adding that he and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi were among the last IDF officers there.
“We are still keeping a close watch on the military fronts in Lebanon and Syria,” he said. “The security problems that could happen in the North have not passed.”
“We have to stretch our hand out to peace on every front – and have the military strength that can ensure we will reach peace and preserve it,” he added.
Gantz also wished a happy Eid al-Fitr to all of Israel’s Muslim citizens and friends.
Both the prime minister and his alternate mentioned the economic impact of COVID-19 and the need for the new government to help people and businesses recover from the shutdown, which was imposed to curb the disease’s spread.


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