PM Netanyahu's Visit to the US

PM Netanyahu's Visit to the US

  • 9/30/2013
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    PM Benjamin Netanyahu at an event with Jewish Leaders in New York (October, 2, 2013)

    PM Benjamin Netanyahu's interviews with US Media
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    Photo: Kobi Gideon, GPO​

    ​Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on Monday, 30 September 2013, met with members of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He previously met with members of Congress at a farewell event for outgoing Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Oren. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) also spoke at the event.

    Prime Minister Netanyahu said that he had one message for those at the event, that they must continue to apply pressure. He noted that he had expressed his appreciation to US President Obama for the regime of harsh sanctions that has induced Iran to enter into a dialogue in order to extract itself from the situation. The Prime Minister expressed his personal appreciation to those in attendance for their contributions and noted that many of them had worked for many years to achieve this.

    Prime Minister thanked Ambassador Oren for faithfully serving the State of Israel and said that all present were aware of his outstanding qualities. The Prime Minister asserted that Oren had been an exceptional ambassador who had served as a human bridge between Israel and the US.





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    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived yesterday (09/29/13) in New York for a visit which will include a speech at the UN General Assembly and a meeting with President Obama. 

    Today (09/30/13), PM Netanyahu will meet President Obama at the White House. Netanyahu will also have meetings with Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry. 

    Later today, Netanyahu will​ join more than 100 senators and Congress Members on Capitol Hill for a special event honoring Ambassador Michael Oren for his service in Washington.

    On Tuesday (10/01/13), the Prime Minister will address the UN General Assembly in New York. The remarks from the Prime Minister for both of these major events will highlight Israel’s latest positions and perspectives on the core political issues, concerns, and government policies. 

    Netanyahu's speech will focus on the need to achieve a complete cessation of Iran’s military nuclear proliferation and to keep the pressure against the Iranian regime in the limited time left to maneuver.​


    Last week PM Netanyahu commented on Iran's President Hassan Rouhani's speech at the UN:

    "As expected, this was a cynical speech that was full of hypocrisy. Rouhani spoke of human rights even as Iranian forces are participating in the large-scale slaughter of innocent civilians in Syria.

     

    He condemned terrorism even as the Iranian regime is using terrorism in dozens of countries around the world.

     

    He spoke of a nuclear program for civilian purposes even as an IAEA report determines that the program has military dimensions and when any rational person understands that Iran, one of the most oil-rich nations, is not investing capital in ballistic missiles and underground nuclear facilities in order to produce electricity.

     

    It is no coincidence that the speech lacked both any practical proposal to stop Iran's military nuclear program and any commitment to fulfill UN Security Council decisions.

     

    This is exactly Iran's strategy – to talk and play for time in order to advance its ability to achieve nuclear weapons. Rouhani knows this well."

     

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    PM Netanyahu highlighted his visit's main focus in a statement made on September 17

    "In another week-and-a-half or so I will travel to the UN General Assembly. I will first meet with US President Barack Obama.

    I intend to focus on the issue of stopping Iran's nuclear program. "The way to stop Iran's nuclear program requires four steps:

    1. Halting all uranium enrichment;
    2. Removing all enriched uranium;
    3. Closing Qom; and
    4. Stopping the plutonium track.

    Only a combination of these four steps will constitute an actual stopping of the nuclear program, and until all four of these measures are achieved, the pressure on Iran must be increased and not relaxed, and certainly not eased.

    I believe that the events of recent weeks have confirmed the assumptions upon which we have been acting:

    1. A recalcitrant state that develops or acquires weapons of mass destruction is certainly likely to use them. It is possible to say that ultimately it will use them.

    2. Only a credible military threat can allow diplomacy or other steps to effect a halt to this armament process.

    3. Israel must continue to build up its strength so that it will always be able and ready to defend itself by itself against any threat. I reiterate something that is familiar to you: If I am not for myself, who will be for me? I say this collectively on behalf our people."


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    PM Netanyahu and his Wife Sarah landed in New York on Sunday. Prime Minister Netanyahu will address the UN General Assembly on Monday, October 1, 2013. (Video by Roi Avraham, GPO).

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    On Saturday, ​Prime minister Netanyahu made the following remarks upon boarding his flight: 

    "This evening I am leaving for New York and Washington to meet with President Obama and afterwards address the UN General Assembly. 

    I will represent the citizens of Israel, our national interests, our rights as a people, our determination to defend ourselves and our hope for peace. I will tell the truth in the face of the sweet-talk and the onslaught of smiles. One must talk facts and one must tell the truth. Telling the truth today is vital for the security and peace of the world and, of course, it is vital for the security of the State of Israel."

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