(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

Today ((Tuesday, 3 November 2015), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited northern Israel. Following is an excerpt from his remarks in Afula, at the signing ceremony for the price-for-tenant housing agreement:

"I know that we are in a very stormy region. Radical Islam is all around us and is also extending its arms into our midst. At the moment, we are fighting against a wave of terrorism. First it was missiles and now it is knives. We overcame the former wave; we will also overcome this one. This requires much patience. We have increased our forces and are investing in various means. While we do not shrink from the steps necessary to defeat this terrorism, we know that in the end we rely on willpower, the iron willpower of our people who have been here over the past 100 years, which overcomes all obstacles and is developing the country in a way that inspires the world."

Prime Minister Netanyahu also said:

"I would like to tell you that I am pleased to be here, happy to be here in Afula and happy to be with you here in the developing north. We would like to point out here the beginning of a very wide-ranging action that we are in the midst of. We are building tens of thousands of residential units around the country under the 'price-for-tenant' program. In this program, we are also lowering prices, of course for residents. We are also giving general momentum to development and the lowering of housing prices through many varied plans and I am pleased with this momentum led by the Finance Minister, the Housing Minister and myself. We are making a genuine effort both to expand the supply of apartments around the country and to reduce the gaps in prices; this is genuine and it is happening before our eyes.

The north and the south must be genuine parts of the State of Israel. The strength, momentum and energy must all go there; this is a true vision."