(Communicated by the Government Secretariat)

1. At the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting (3 Nov 2013) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following remarks:

"This past weekend marked the 96th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, which recognized the right of the Jewish people to a homeland of its own in the Land of Israel. It was later confirmed at the San Remo conference and, of course, general recognition of our right to a state of our own came with the UN decision in 1947. This recognition is important but it must be said that without 80 years of continuous, renewed settlement by the Jewish people in the Land of Israel and the willingness to defend the community with our own forces, the state would not have arisen. But there is no doubt that the international recognition of the Jewish people's right to a state of its own in its historic homeland is important; the refusal to recognize us is the root of the conflict. As you know, the opponents of Zionism opposed the Balfour Declaration, the 1947 UN decision that recognized a Jewish state, and I regret that this opposition is alive today.

In order for there to be peace between us and our Palestinian neighbors, they must recognize the right of the Jewish people to a state of its own in its homeland. This means that in a permanent agreement they will drop their national demands, including the right of return and any other national demand on the State of Israel. This deals with the heart of the issue and is one of the keys to a resolution of the conflict. I say 'one of the keys' because in light of the constant incitement among the Palestinian public over past decades, there is no assurance and it is impossible to know that even such official recognition from above will indeed lead to fundamental change in the mood of the Palestinian public. Therefore, the second foundation is the security that can defend the peace and will defend the Jewish state in case the peace frays. These security arrangements are important to us. We will insist upon them. They will certainly include many things, but first and foremost, the security border of the State of Israel will remain along the Jordan River.

Of course we hope that our partners will recognize our national right to a state of our own but there are also those who openly and directly call for our destruction, and the leading element is, of course, Iran. Iran is continuing to try and arm itself with nuclear weapons; it has not changed its goal, the method maybe, but not the goal, and it has not changed its ideology. I call your attention to the fact that tomorrow the regime will mark the 34th anniversary since the seizure of the US Embassy in Tehran – they call this 'Death to America Day.' This makes it clear that pressure on the Iranian regime must be continued. The pressure has brought them to the negotiating table. I am convinced that if the pressure is maintained and not relaxed, Iran will dismantle its military nuclear capabilities, and if the pressure is relaxed, Iran will advance toward this goal. We are committed to ensuring that it does not reach its realization.

Today, we are taking leave of Yaakov Amidror, who has served for close to three years as National Security Adviser. All of the issues that I spoke about here, and several that I have not mentioned here, guided our joint work. Yaakov advanced the National Security Council, gave it content, order and seriousness to discussions which were serious and substantive beforehand, but to which he added his special imprimatur thanks to his knowledge of Israel's security needs, his independent thought, his readiness to stand up for his views and his experience, his vast experience and sharpness of thought. I think that he has made a genuine contribution to Israel's national security. He certainly helped me as Prime Minister and the staff that worked with him.

I think that a man of such talents must continue to contribute to our national security and therefore, I intend, I am telling you now Yaakov, that I will continue to assign missions to you and will not let you go, especially in the extensive fields which I would be happy for you to devote yourself to exclusively.

I know that Yossi Cohen will continue this work. Everyone comes with their own special background and with their own special abilities and emphases but I must say that here there is a chain of people that have done exceptional work, that upgrade the decision-making ability and readiness of the State of Israel – the most challenged state in the world and, to a certain degree, the most successful state in the world in terms of the challenges that it faces, with no small thanks to the work of the National Security Council. Yaakov, if you please."

Outgoing National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror:

"The proper farewell will be later. I would like to thank the Cabinet for allowing me to work with the ministers, and the ministers for their cooperation when it was necessary, in one of the National Security Council's more complicated roles, in working with various offices in order to serve well-defined goals in which everyone does his part. I always take care to say that there is a difference between those who are appointed and those who are elected – your job in the end is to make the decisions and ours is to see to it that you have all the information that you require to make the decisions, and afterwards the ability to carry out the decisions that you have made. I think that this distinction needs to be sharp, clear and unshakeable because only thus can a proper state function. There are those who make the decisions, there are those who prepare you ahead of the decisions and there are those who carry out the decisions.

I hope that we succeeded in bringing the National Security Council to a higher level than it was on the day I took up office, in order to help in the these areas.

I leave after more than two-and-a-half years with a very, very good sense of accomplishment. I leave Yossi a much more clearly defined and well-oiled agency, in which he will certainly play his part. I tell you already – without the assistance of each and every minister it will not work. Once again, I would like to say thank you."

2. Outgoing National Security Adviser Amidror briefed the Cabinet on the national security situation.

Prime Minister Netanyahu and the ministers thanked Amidror for his work and his contribution to the State of Israel, upon the conclusion of his duties, and wished him success in the future.

3. The Cabinet authorized the Ministerial Committee on Legislation to approve draft legislation on regarding the rights and immunities of CERN.

4. Home Front Defense Minister Gilad Erdan and Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee on Earthquake Preparedness Chairman Avi Shapira briefed the cabinet on the preparedness of Government ministries and emergency agencies in dealing with earthquakes. The minister also briefed the Cabinet on a future exercise regarding preparations to receive international assistance in the wake of an event.