(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

 

Following is an excerpt from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks this evening (Monday), 21 May 2012, at a Civil Service Commission event:

 

"In recent weeks, I have heard those who have cast doubt on Iran's intentions. They said that when Iran's leaders declare that they will wipe Israel off the map, they really mean something else in Persian. It would be interesting to hear what they think of the Iranian Chief-of-Staff's remarks yesterday: 'Iran is committed to the complete destruction of Israel.'  This is clear and simple. Iran's goals are clear. It wants to annihilate Israel and is developing nuclear weapons to realize this goal.

 

Iran threatens Israel, peace and the entire world. Against this malicious intention, the world's leading countries must show determination, not weakness. They do not need to make concessions to Iran. They need to set clear and unequivocal demands before it: Iran must halt all enrichment of nuclear material. It must remove from its territory all nuclear material that has been enriched up until now and it must dismantle the underground nuclear facility in Qom. Only thus will it be possible to ensure that Iran will not have a nuclear bomb. This is Israel's position; it has not changed and it will not change."