(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday, 2 December 2012):
1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following remarks:
"The response to the attack on Zionism and the State of Israel must reinforce and underscore the implementation of the settlement plan in all areas in which the Government decides regarding settlement."
These are not my words. These are the words of the government of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and this is the language of the Cabinet's 1975 decision in the wake of the UN decision that equated Zionism with racism.
Today we are building and we will continue to build in Jerusalem and in all areas that are on the map of the strategic interests of the State of Israel.
The Palestinian Authority's one-sided step at the UN constitutes a gross violation of the agreements that have been signed with the State of Israel; accordingly, the Government of Israel rejects the UN General Assembly decision.
I would like to reiterate: There will be no Palestinian state without an arrangement in which the security of Israeli citizens will be ensured. There will be no Palestinian state until the State of Israel is recognized as the state of the Jewish people. There will be no Palestinian state until the Palestinians declare an end to the conflict. Israel will not agree to Judea and Samaria becoming a base for Iranian terrorism, as happened in the areas we evacuated in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.
I would like to thank US President Barack Obama, Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper, Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas and the leaders of the other countries that voted against the proposal at the UN. History will favorably judge those countries that lined up on the side of truth, on the side of peace and alongside Israel at this time.
Today, the Cabinet will be briefed on the incitement that the Palestinian Authority is leading against Israel. I must say that in addition to this report, there is, to my regret, Abu Mazen's sharp incitement speech at the UN, in which he incited against IDF soldiers and Israeli citizens while using lies and historical distortions.
I must note that Abu Mazen did not see fit to say even a single word about the terrorism and rocket fire being directed against Israeli citizens; this is not the talk of a man who wants peace.
Over the weekend, we heard reports that Jonathan Pollard has taken ill. On behalf of the entire Cabinet, I would like to send from here our wishes for his rapid recovery. We will continue to act however we can in order to bring Jonathan Pollard back home.
Another monthly report - this week we learned that last month approximately 40 people tried to enter Israel, 40 infiltrators; they were all detained. I remind you that only a few months ago, thousands were coming here, crossing into the country and entering Israel's cities every week. Our actions have blocked this phenomenon.
One more piece of data that was published over the weekend - The Economist ranked Israel in 20th place on list of the best countries to be born in. This is after Israel was ranked 14th in the World Happiness Report and as the world's 6th healthiest country. We will continue to work to develop the State of Israel in the face of all challenges, to turn the State of Israel into a good and developed place, and one of the most developed countries in the world in terms of its economy, infrastructure, quality of life and social welfare. Today we will discuss these indices."
2. The Cabinet discussed the rejection of UN General Assembly resolution of 29 November 2012 and decided as follows:
"The Jewish people has a natural, historical and legal right to his homeland and to its eternal capital, Jerusalem; the State of Israel, as the state of the Jewish people, has a right and claim to areas, the status of which is under dispute, in the Land of Israel. Therefore:
* To reject UN General Assembly Resolution 67/191, of 29 November 2012.
* To determine that there is nothing in the aforesaid resolution that changes the status of the areas under dispute, that grants any right or that detracts from of the State of Israel's, or the Jewish people's, rights whatsoever in the Land of Israel.
* To determine that the aforesaid decision will not constitute a basis for future negotiations, and that it contains nothing that advances a solution by peaceful means."
3. Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Yaalon and Strategic Affairs Ministry Director-General Yossi Kuperwasser briefed ministers on the "Culture of Peace and Incitement Index in the Palestinian Authority."
4. The Cabinet discussed declaring terrorist organizations according to the 1948 Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance and decided as follows:
Pursuant to Article 8 of the 1948 Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance, to declare that the following bodies of persons or organizations, according to the names included herein or by any other name by which they may be known, including any faction, branch, center, committee, group, faction and institution of said organization, are terrorist organizations:
- "The Al-Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards"
- The Change and Reform List or "Al-Atzlach v'Al-Tajair"
- The Charity Coalition (Atlaf Alchayir)
- The Iranian (or) Palestinian Humanity Support and Coordination Staff, the Popular Committee for Support of the Palestinian People, and the Iranian Popular Committee for Support of the Palestinian Intifada
- The Al-Quds Institution and Al-Qods International Institution
- The Palestinian and Lebanese Families Welfare Trust
- The Popular Resistance Committees and its military arm, the Saladin Brigade
- The IHH ("Insan Haklary ve Hurriyetleri"), Vakfi International Humanitarian Relief Organization, "Internationale Humanitere Hilfsorganisation"
This declaration applies to the foregoing organizations even if they are known by other names, nicknames or acronyms, or translation into any other language, whether permanently or occasionally, and all of their factions and attached bodies.