United Nations General Assembly: Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tackles 'Brazen Lies' by Islamic Militants, Hamas and Iran
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly to refute the "brazen lies" spoken by other world leaders at the same UN podium.
According to Netanyahu, militants and Islam are not dangerous unless it's "militant Islam." He referred to militant Islam as a cancer, and said if left unchecked, it can grow into wider areas.
"Typically, its first victims are other Muslims, but it spares no one. Christians, Jews, Yazidis, Kurds -- no creed, no faith, no ethnic group is beyond its sights. And it's rapidly spreading in every part of the world," said Netanyahu.
Netanyahu commended President Barack Obama and the coalition of countries assisting to combat the Islamic State (IS) militant group, also known as ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria). He, however, acknowledged that same supporters confronting ISIS also opposed Israeli's confrontation with Hamas.
"They evidently don't understand that ISIS and Hamas are branches of the same poisonous tree. ISIS and Hamas share a fanatical creed, which they both seek to impose well beyond the territory under their control," Netanyahu added, naming other militant Islamic groups including Boko Haram in Nigeria, Ash-Shabab in Somalia, Hezbollah in Lebanon, An-Nusrah in Syria and the various syndicates of al-Qaeda, which also exists in India and the Philippines.
The Israeli prime minister also criticized Iran for its alleged ties to terrorism, even using New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter for an analogy, stating, "To say that Iran doesn't practice terrorism is like saying Derek Jeter never played shortstop for the New York Yankees."
Iran obtaining nuclear energy remained a concern for Netanyahu, who infamously used an illustrated image of a bomb. This time around, Netanyahu said Iran's "crocodile tears" and "manipulative charm offensive" are efforts to lift sanctions imposed on the country.
"Iran's nuclear military capabilities must be fully dismantled," said Netanyahu. "Make no mistake -- ISIS must be defeated. But to defeat ISIS and leave Iran as a threshold nuclear power is to win the battle and lose the war. To defeat ISIS and leave Iran as a threshold nuclear power is to win the battle and lose the war."
Netanyahu also defended Israel's missile program against Hamas and propaganda against the Jewish State. The prime minister said Hamas "cynically" used Palestinians, homes, mosques, hospitals and U.N. schools to stock and fire rockets aimed at Israel. Netanyahu said he regrets the civilian casualties that lost their lives, and further defended Israel's actions to lessen the death rates including flyers, phone calls, text messages and broadcast warnings on Palestinian television.
"No other country and no other army in history have gone to greater lengths to avoid casualties among the civilian population of their enemies," the Israeli prime minister said.
Netanyahu also criticized the U.N. Human Rights Council for its investigation on Israel for its war against Hamas during the summer. He said the Human Rights Council delivered a message to terrorists for investigating Israel, stating, "Use civilians as human shields. Use them again and again and again. You know why? Because sadly, it works. By granting international legitimacy to the use of human shields, the U.N.'s Human Rights Council has thus become a Terrorist Rights Council, and it will have repercussions. It probably already has, about the use of civilians as human shields."
Despite its struggles with Islamic countries, Netanyahu said Israel is prepared to collaborate with Arab partners to confront international dangers.
"Together we must recognize the global threat of militant Islam, the primacy of dismantling Iran's nuclear weapons capability and the indispensable role of Arab states in advancing peace with the Palestinians," said Netanyahu.
UNGA - Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's United Nations General Assembly 2014 Speech:
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