​(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this morning (Sunday, 31 December 2017), at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting, made the following remarks:
 
"Israel views Hamas as responsible for any firing at us from the Gaza Strip. Since we destroyed the terrorist tunnel that penetrated into our territory several weeks ago, the IDF has attacked approximately 40 Hamas targets including an additional attack by the air force last night.
 
To all those who are carping in the media, people who never held security responsibility for even a minute and never made even one security decision, I suggest that they calm down. The Defense Minister and I, along with the Chief-of-Staff, the head of the ISA and the heads of the security services are leading a vigorous and responsible policy that is backed by this government, a policy that has – in recent years – made Israel quieter and more secure than it has been in decades. Attempts to attack us have not ceased, but our policy is clear – whoever tries to hurt us, we will hurt them.
 
I view with utmost gravity refusal to serve in the IDF from any side whatsoever even though this phenomenon has to do with a tiny marginal group. The tragedies that have struck our people ended after we established the State of Israel and the IDF and rebuilt our ability to defend ourselves by ourselves. The IDF is what assures that our future will be different from our post. I welcome the fact that the vast majority of the public understands this and flatly rejects the phenomenon of refusal to serve.
 
Today we will pass a decision that will add medicines worth approximately NIS 500 million to the health basket. The health system is among the best in the world. We invest 7.5% of GDP and receive a quality of life that is among the highest in the world and an incidence of diseases that is among the lowest in the world. The health of the citizens of Israel is important to the government. It is important to the budget that we will submit soon, along with the Finance Minister. Of course, we added new life-saving medicines to the basket of medicines. I am pleased that we have also met the needs of our precious children who are ill with spinal muscular atrophy.
 
At the close of the civil year, I wish a happy new year to our friends around the world. Snovim godom, novy god!"