Statements by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Former New York City =

Mayor Michael Bloomberg
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Wednesday, 23 July 2014), while e=
n =

route from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, where he is due to meet with US Secretary =

of State John Kerry, went to Ben-Gurion International Airport to welcome =

former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Following are excerpts of =

their remarks.

Prime Minister Netanyahu:

"Michael, you are a welcomed guest on any day, but especially on this day, =

to come here as a true leader, a true friend and as a man of standing and =

truth. And the truth is, that you wanted to demonstrate by coming here, is =

that this airport is open. You can fly in and out of Israel. We protect thi=
s =

airport. There's no reason whatsoever for the mistaken FAA decision to =

instruct American planes not to come here. I think you're proving it by =

coming here. Where I stand, the Prime Minister of Israel, where you stand, =

anybody can stand. I think this decision only rewards the Hamas terrorists =

for nothing. You can fly in and out of Israel and I hope that the FAA =

rescinds this decision as soon as possible."

Michael Bloomberg:

"Thank you. Let me just say that every time I come here, I'm reminded of =

history, of where my family comes from, of freedom and democracy. This is =

the only democratic country in this part of the world, a true democracy =

where everybody has a chance to express themselves and practice the =

religions that they want to practice in the ways they want to. In terms of =

coming here, if =96 I would argue that Ben-Gurion Airport is probably the =

safest airport in the whole world to fly in and out of. This is a country =

that's been threatened since its existence back in 1948, when the United =

Nations created this country as a homeland for the Jews. And Israelis know =

what it is to keep people safe and in terms of that also."

Click here for a YouTube clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DA6k38ga3c3c&list=3DUU4XJnRPZjXhgvVMhXKNSJv=
Q =

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