Ya’alon tells Knesset: We will reach those who arm our enemies, wherever they are
"We will not compromise on this, and we will not allow the crossing of red lines that will endanger Israel's security," defense minister says.
By YAAKOV LAPPINVideo of alleged Israeli strike on Syria(photo credit: screenshot)
Those who seek to arm Israel’s enemies will know that we can reach anywhere, at any time, and through any means to thwart their plans, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said at the Knesset on Tuesday.“We will not compromise on this, and we will not allow the crossing of red-lines that will endanger Israel’s security,” he said, in comments made two days after foreign press reports said Israel had carried out air strikes on targets in Syria.Speaking to IDF veterans and civilians who were wounded by terrorists, to mark a day held to honor them, Ya’alon praised the audience members for their personal struggles to return to active lives.“This year too, we have lost, to our heart’s sorrow, sons and daughters in Operation Protective Edge. This is the place to send out a supporting and loving embrace to bereaved families, including those hit by terrorist actions that horrify the heart and soul,” he said.“This year, too, we find ourselves dealing with extremist Islamic terrorism that exists in every corner of the disintegrating Middle East,” Ya’alon said. “It seeks to kills us merely because of who we are.[It’s] relentless terrorism that is activated by cruel organizations that will use any means and do everything to try and disrupt our lives here.“But Israel will not be deterred. We will know how to thwart the malicious intentions of our enemies. Those who try to harm our civilians and disrupt our lives will pay a heavy price,” the defense minister warned.Israel is a peace-seeking nation that desires life, Ya’alon continued.“We do not want war, but to continue thriving lives. We continue to build a flowering country,” he said.“As we do this, we receive great emotional strength from the model of human bravery that each and every one of you presents,” Ya’alon told those in attendance.
Earlier, he addressed the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.“Our enemies have not stopped challenging us. Whether it’s Iran, which continues to promote its nuclear program, or Iran that continues to activate terrorism against us while arming our enemies, such as Hezbollah and the terrorist organizations in Gaza,” he told the lawmakers.The defense minister added that the Middle East continues to suffer from chronic instability, and that in Lebanon, Hezbollah is well armed, but remains deterred by Israel.Israel has set redlines for “various elements operating in Syria,” he said. “The Golan Heights are quiet now, but that’s not something to be taken for granted.The [same goes for the] Sinai border, too, where Egyptian security forces are working against extremist Islamic jihadist organizations.”The terrorists in Gaza are currently deterred by Israel, but continue to arm themselves despite the ongoing problems faced by the Strip’s civilians, Ya’alon said, adding that more than 100,000 Gazans lost their homes in the summer’s conflict with Israel.“There are attempts at recovery in the Strip, which include our involvement and that of the UN,” he said.Hamas continues to try and heat up Judea and Samaria, and Israel is thwarting terrorist cells being set up there from Hamas bases in Gaza and Turkey, he said.
