Netanyahu At UN: Israel Will Stand Alone

Zechariah 12:3

On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all nations. 

Netanyahu At UN: Israel Will Stand Alone If Needed In Preventing Iran Nuclear Weapons

A steadfast Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu made clear in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday that Israel would not accept a nuclear armed Iran, and would "stand alone" if necessary to achieve that aim.

"Israel will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons, even if we have to stand alone. Yet in standing alone, Israel will know that we will be defending many, many others," he said.

He dismissed the recent so-called "charm offensive" by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, charging that while his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, had been openly aggressive towards Israel, he was concealing his true intentions. The Iranians' goal, Netanyahu said, was an end to the sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy and were implemented over Teheran's intransigence on its atomic ambitions, and it was for this reason that Rouhani was elected.

"When it comes to Iran's nuclear weapons program, the only difference between them is this: Ahmadinejad was a wolf in wolf's clothing, Rouhani is a wolf in sheep's clothing, a wolf who thinks he can pull the wool over the eyes of the international community," Netanyahu said.

He also said that Iran's nuclear program had continued at a "vast and feverish" pace since the election in June of Rouhani.

"Like everyone else, I wish we could believe Rouhani's words, but we must focus on Iran's action," Netanyahu said, adding that sanctions should be tightened if the Iranians pursue nuclear projects while negotiating with world powers.

Referring to the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, Netanyahu said, "Since that time, presidents of Iran have come and gone. Some presidents were considered moderates, others hardliners. But they have all served that same unforgiving creed, that same unforgiving regime. ... President Rouhani, like the presidents who came before him, is a loyal servant of the regime."

Netanyahu made clear that Israel was prepared to resort to unilateral military action against Iran if it deems diplomacy a dead end.

Meanwhile, Iran's delegation, of course, did not take kindly to the Israel's accusations, and in their reply said they "wish to thank sincerely all countries who continue to support Iran's sovereign right to peaceful nuclear science and technology."

"Iran has an inalienable right to peaceful nuclear energy," said Mohammed Khazaee, Permanent Representative of Iran. Khazaee also echoed his president's words, saying "There is no single acceptable reason to possess a nuclear weapon, but agreeable reasons to abolish them all. Nuclear weapons have no place in the defense structuring of my country."

"Unlike Israel, Iran did not and would not attack any country," Khazaee said. "It is not because of its inability, but due to a principled policy in rejecting the use of force. Iranians are proud of being the best at exercising their inherent right to self defense under article 51 of the UN charter. Therefore, the Prime Minister better not even think about attacking Iran, let alone plan for it."

"We have been accused of having a 'smile attack,'" Khazaee concluded. "As our Foreign Minister said, a smile attack is better than a military attack. Indeed, a smile policy is much better than a lying policy."

The bulk of his speech was about Iran, but he also touched on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, saying the Jewish state was prepared to make a "historic compromise," but he faulted Palestinian leaders for not reciprocating enough.

Netanyahu ended his speech with a tale of the anti-Semitism suffered by his grandfather and his subsequent Zionism.

"The people of Israel have come home, never to be uprooted again."

Israel Will Stop Iran Alone If Necessary

 Israel will act on its own if necessary to stop Iran attaining nuclear weapons, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.

There should be no confusion over this, Netanyahu stressed in a calm, gimmick-free address, warning that “Israel will never acquiesce to nuclear arms in the hands of a rogue regime that repeatedly promises to wipe us out.”

“If Israel is forced to stand alone” against that threat, “Israel willstand alone,” he said, though it would know that it was also defending others.

But the declared commitment to act alone to thwart Iran in a last resort appeared to reflect Netanyahu’s concern that the international community, and notably the Obama administration, might not take military action in good time if all peaceful avenues failed.

Netanyahu, the final world leader to address the 68th United Nations General Assembly, ridiculed Rouhani for speaking from the UN podium about Iranian democracy, when “the regime that he represents executes political dissidents by the hundreds and jails them by the thousands.”

And he countered Rouhani’s assertion that Iran had “never chosen
deceit and secrecy,” by recalling that “in 2002 Iran was caught red-handed secretly building an underground centrifuge facility in Natanz. And then in 2009 Iran was again caught red-handed secretly building a huge underground nuclear facility for uranium enrichment in a mountain near Qom.”

Rouhani claimed that Iran does not seek nuclear weapons, Netanyahu noted. “Any of you believe that?” he asked the well-filled hall. In fact, he said, intercontinental ballistic missiles, such as Iran is building, and with which he said it will bring the US into range within three or four years, have only “one purpose: to carry nuclear warheads.” Iran, he said flatly, “is developing nuclear weapons.”

Since Rouhani’s election, he stressed, the “vast and feverish effort” to reach the bomb, “has continued unabated.” Iran wants to be in a position to rush forward to build nuclear bombs before the international community can detect it and much less prevent it.” Only sanctions and a credible military threat could peacefully hold it back.

Netanyahu acknowledged that some people believe he is exaggerating the Iranian threat. “Sure, they know that Iran’s regime leads these chants, ‘Death to America, Death to Israel,’ that it pledges to wipe Israel off the map. But they think that this wild rhetoric is just bluster for domestic consumption. Have these people learned nothing from history? The last century has taught us that when a radical regime with global ambitions gets awesome power, sooner or later its appetite for aggression knows no bounds. That’s the central lesson of the 20th century. And we cannot forget it. The world may have forgotten this lesson. The Jewish people have not.”

He added: “Iran’s fanaticism is not bluster. It’s real. The fanatic regime must never be allowed to arm itself with nuclear weapons. I know that the world is weary of war. We in Israel, we know all too well the cost of war. But history has taught us that to prevent war tomorrow, we must be firm today.”

Finally, Netanyahu spoke of how Israel would act if all else failed. The Jewish state “will never acquiesce” to nuclear arms in the hands of Iran, “a rogue regime that repeatedly promises to wipe us out. He warned: “Against such a threat, Israel will have no choice but to defend itself. I want there to be no confusion on this point. Israel will not allow Iran to get nuclear weapons. If Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone. Yet, in standing alone, Israel will know that we will be defending many, many others.”

Iran Responds To Netanyahu: Don't Even Think About Attacking Us

Iran on Tuesday warned Israel not to so much as “think about” attacking it, telling Israel not to “miscalculate” and stressing the Islamic Republic’s ability to defend itself.

Khodadad Seifi, Iran’s deputy ambassador to the UN, utilized a right of reply to speak immediately after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the General Assembly.

In his response, Seifi asserted Iran’s “inherent right” to “peaceful nuclear science and technology,” and called Netanyahu’s speech “extremely inflammatory.”

“I do not want to dignify such unfounded accusations with an answer, other than categorically rejecting them all,” he went on, accusing Netanyahu of “trying to mislead this august body about the Iranian nuclear program. But unlike last year, without cartoon drawings.”

“No one can dictate [to] Iran what to do or not to do” on its nuclear program, he said.

He protested that Netanyahu, who he did not mention by name, had continued “saber-rattling” and “threatening” against Iran.

The Israeli prime minister, Seifi warned, “should seriously avoid miscalculation about Iran.” He added, “Iran’s centuries-old policy of nonaggression must not be interpreted as its inability to defend itself.”

Iran rejected the use of force, he said. But “Iranians are proud of being the best at exercising their inherent right of self-defense… Therefore, the Israeli prime minister had better not even think about attacking Iran, let alone planning for that.”

PM Netanyahu Tells UN Members Gripping Story Of His Grandfather Brutally Beaten By Anti-Semitic Mob

[Note his reference to biblical prophecy]