At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday, 22 February 2015):
 
1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following remarks:
 
"Today the Cabinet will be briefed on the security challenges developing around us, first and foremost Iran's attempt to increase its foothold on Israel's borders even as it works to arm itself with nuclear weapons. Alongside Iran's direct guidance of Hezbollah's actions in the north and Hamas' in the south, Iran is trying to also to develop a third front on the Golan Heights via the thousands of Hezbollah fighters who are in southern Syria and over which Iran holds direct command. The fact that Iran is continuing its murderous terrorism that knows no borders and which embraces the region and the world has, to our regret, not prevented the international community from continuing to talk with Iran about a nuclear agreement that will allow it to build the industrial capacity to develop nuclear weapons.
 
It is astonishing that even after the recent IAEA report determined that Iran is continuing to hide the military components of its nuclear program, the nuclear talks are with it are proceeding. Not only are they continuing, there is an increased effort to reach a nuclear agreement in the coming days and weeks. Therefore, the coming month is critical for the nuclear talks between Iran and the major powers because a framework agreement is liable to be signed that will allow Iran to develop the nuclear capabilities that threaten our existence. The agreement that is being formulated between Iran and the major powers is dangerous for Israel and therefore I will go to the US next week in order to explain to the American Congress, which could influence the fate of the agreement, why this agreement is dangerous for Israel, the region and the entire world."
 
2. Prime Minister Netanyahu told Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch, "I would like to commend the security and rescue forces, the many volunteers and all those who had a part in making sure that the State of Israel was prepared for the storm and achieved the main task – saving lives."
 
3. The Cabinet discussed municipal enforcement, specifically the combination of police personnel and municipal inspectors in communities in the south.

4. National Security Adviser and National Security Council Chairman Yossi Cohen updated ministers on his meetings in Washington last week with Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman, part of which was also attended by Secretary of State John Kerry, and with National Security Adviser Susan Rice.
 
NSC Chairman Cohen noted that the recent IAEA report shows that Iran refuses to answer the questions put to it by the IAEA in wake of the revelation of suspect findings vis-à-vis military components of its nuclear program.
 
5. Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz updated ministers on his recent talks, at security conference in Munich, with representatives of most of the major powers negotiating with Iran and noted that he had expressed Israel's concerns over the agreement being formulated which would allow Iran the capabilities to develop nuclear weapons. He also reported on his conversation with IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano in which he had demanded that the IAEA condition any agreement with Iran on the full disclosure of the nuclear experiments it has carried out.
 
6. Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon briefed ministers on his visit to India and on bilateral security cooperation.
 
7. Mossad Director Tamir Pardo briefed ministers on global terrorist activity being directed by Iran via both Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations, including the terrorist infrastructures currently being deployed by Iran throughout the world.
 
Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked the Mossad for the life-saving actions carried out by its personnel in the face of the growing threat posed by extremist Islamic terrorism. He said that the current danger will become even greater if any of these elements acquire weapons of mass destruction and added that this is the greatest threat to world peace.