[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA:
"I insist that any proposal meet the State of Israel's security needs, both
in the immediate term and vis-à-vis the threats that we will face in the
coming decade."
The reference to a decade is an accurate translation of the Hebrew
http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMO/Communication/Spokesman/2010/11/spokestart141110.htm
Mr. Netanyahu has children and grandchildren.
His only concern is for the next decade?
This attitude of sacrificing the welfare of future generations for the sake
of short-term gain runs counter to Jewish tradition. The story is told
(Ta'anit, 23a) of Honi Hame'agel, the Jewish Rip Van Winkle, who saw an old
man planting a carob tree. He asked the man why he was working so hard,
since the tree would bear fruit only in 70 years.
Replied the man: "I found a world with carobs because my forefathers planted
them, and I say: I also plant a carob tree ... for my children after me."
We owe it to ourselves, to previous generations who sacrificed so much to
get us here as well as to the unborn future generations, to resist the
temptation to forfeit the future in return for what at best may be momentary
relief. ]
PM Netanyahu's Remarks at the Start of Today's Cabinet Meeting
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
Following are Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks at the start of
the Cabinet meeting today (Sunday), 14.11.10:
"Last Friday, I returned from my visit to the US. I appeared at the Jewish
Federations of North America General Assembly, which was held in New
Orleans. Several of our ministers were there as well. I am certain that
they, like me, attribute great importance to maintaining our relations with
world Jewish communities and to strengthening the younger generation's links
with the Land of Israel. We support several programs, the results of which
are very impressive; we also maintain our ties with communities and
institutions there.
During my visit, I met with US Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of
State Hilary Clinton. I also spoke and met with various leaders of the
Senate and the House of Representatives. I met with senior US economic and
media figures, including the top analysts and commentators in the US. In
all of these meetings, I raised – first and foremost – the need to stop the
Iranian nuclear project. This is the greatest threat to both world peace
and the security of the State of Israel.
At this morning's meeting, I intend to update my fellow ministers on the
general outline of the American proposal for the resumption of the peace
talks. This proposal was raised during my talks with Secy. of State
Clinton. It is still not final; it is still being formulated by Israeli and
the American teams. If and when it is complete, I will bring this proposal
to the appropriate Government forum, which in this case is the Cabinet. In
any case, I insist that any proposal meet the State of Israel's security
needs, both in the immediate term and vis-à-vis the threats that we will
face in the coming decade.
Today, the Cabinet will discuss bringing the Falashmura, of the seed of
Israel, who remain in Ethiopia, to the State of Israel. These are
approximately 8,000 men, women and children who live under very difficult
humanitarian conditions. The Government of Israel seeks to resolve this
problem because there is indeed a complex humanitarian crisis there and so
as to avoid the creation of additional refugee camps in Ethiopia. In the
first months, according to the proposal that has been submitted, 700
eligible Falashmura will come to Israel and in the next three years, the
remainder of those eligible will be brought to Israel at the rate of 200 a
month. I must say that from my perspective, this closes a cycle because
during my first term as Prime Minister, I brought approximately 5,000
Falashmura to Israel and today we are discussing an agreed-upon arrangement
with all of the relevant bodies, and there are many, so that we might
finally resolve this painful and complicated problem. We have a moral
commitment as Jews, as the People of Israel, to find a solution. I would
like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved, especially
former Supreme Court President Meir Shamgar and Jewish Agency Chairman Natan
Sharansky for their work towards this agreed-upon solution, which is
responsible and practical.
|