Following is an excerpt from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks this afternoon (Tuesday, 30 June 2020), at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, at the induction ceremony for the new Foreign Ministry Director General Ambassador Alon Usphpiz:

 

“The tasks before us are not disappearing. Today, I managed to sit down with US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook and US Special Representative for International Negotiations Avi Berkowitz. With Brian Hook, I discussed the unceasing Iranian threat as well as our constant activity against the Iranian threat. With Avi Berkowitz, Ambassador Friedman and the members of their delegation, I discussed the question of sovereignty, which we are currently working on and will continue to work on in the coming days.

 

“I also held several consultations with the Health Minister and the head of the National Security Council because we are in the midst of the spread of the corona pandemic. We see this in the world. Australia has closed 35 districts. In South Korea and other countries, they are working very quickly with various means against this outbreak. The disease is surging around the world, including – unfortunately – in Israel. We are taking action, on the one hand, to stop the spread, and on the other, to facilitate economic activity. I discuss the latter with the Finance Minister several times a day.

 

“We will continue to make these two efforts in addition to the foreign policy and security tasks of the State of Israel. We do not rest even for a moment.”