PM Netanyahu's Press Conference Statement
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening (Thursday, 8 October 2015),
issued the following statement at a press conference with Defense Minister
Moshe Yaalon, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, IDF Chief-of-Staff
Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot and Israel Police Acting Commissioner Bentzi Sau:

"This has been another difficult day for all of us, citizens of Israel. We
are in the midst of a wave of terrorism. Terrorists that have been incited
and who are riven with hate are trying to attack our people – babies,
children, men and women, civilians and soldiers. Our hearts – the hearts of
the entire nation – are with the families of the victims whose lives were
cut short by reprehensible murderers. In recent days and hours I have seen
displays of heroism by soldiers, police and – no less – by civilians. I see
this in Jerusalem, Kiryat Gat, Hebron, Petah Tikva, Tel Aviv and now in
Afula. Israelis are acting with bravery, composure and determination to
neutralize and eliminate the terrorists. This requires extraordinary courage
and resourcefulness and we are proud to be part of a country that has such
citizens.

This vicious terrorism did not start today. It has accompanied the Zionist
enterprise since its beginning. We have always known how to defeat the
rioters and build up our country and so it will be now. The terrorists and
the extremists behind them will achieve nothing. We will rebuff them and we
will defeat them.

We are in the midst of a wave of terrorism with knives, firebombs, rocks and
even live fire. While these acts are mostly unorganized, they are all the
result of wild and mendacious incitement by Hamas, the Palestinian
Authority, several countries in the region and – no less and frequently much
more – the Islamic Movement in Israel, which is igniting the ground with
lies regarding our policy on the Temple Mount and the purported changes that
we want to make to the status quo. This is an absolute lie. We are also
taking action against the inciters and the attackers.

The IDF, Israel Police and the ISA are working on all fronts – stakeouts,
undercover, arrests, presence on the roads, guarding communities,
operational entries into Palestinian towns, in-depth entries into
neighborhoods in eastern Jerusalem and the demolition of terrorists' homes.

We have also sharpened open-fire against those who throw rocks and firebombs
and we will impose minimum sentences on them and fines against minors. We
have detained for investigation those who cooperated with the murderers in
the Old City of Jerusalem. I demanded that the legal establishment close the
shops of the merchants who either took part in this heinous act or stood
aside.

Yesterday, I ordered that politicians – Jewish and Arab alike – be prevented
from going up to the Temple Mount at this time. We do not need more matches
to set the ground afire. We will take aggressive measures against the
Islamic Movement in Israel and against other inciters. Nobody will be
immune.

I would like to tell you, citizens of Israel, that we live in the Middle
East and that the flames of radical Islam, which are burning the entire
region, are also reaching us. But Israel is a very strong country and
Israelis are a strong people. The measures that I have detailed, as well as
others which I will not detail, are not an immediate, magical solution. But
with persistence, thoroughness and determination, we will prove that
terrorism does not pay – and we will defeat it.

I was asked today what I would say to a mother who fears to send her
children outside. I would like to tell her – I would like to tell you,
mother – your concerns are natural. They need not be overlooked nor should
they be swept under the rug. We have a difficult situation now and we must
show maximum alertness. Of course, we must also listen to instructions from
the security forces and the authorities. But I would like to tell you
something else: The security team that is sitting here – Prime Minister,
Defense Minister, Public Security Minister, IDF Chief-of-Staff and the
Israel Police Commissioner, and all other security elements – are doing our
utmost to restore your security and that of your children, to all Israel."