PM Netanyahu attends MFA reception marking the opening of the Paraguayan Embassy in Jerusalem
Israeli Missions Around The World San-Francisco News PM Netanyahu attends MFA reception marking the opening of the Paraguayan Embassy in Jerusalem

PM Netanyahu attends MFA reception

  •   President Trump has taken a firm position, which we welcome, against Iran. We believe this is the right policy. We believe it's the only policy that could ultimately guarantee the security of the Middle East and peace in our region.
  • 5/21/2018
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    PM Netanyahu with Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reception. PM Netanyahu with Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reception. Copyright: GPO/Kobi Gideon
     
     
    ​ (Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
     
    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his wife Sara and Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes, this evening (Monday, 21 May 2018), at the Foreign Ministry, attended a reception marking the opening of the Paraguayan Embassy in Jerusalem.
    Prime Minister Netanyahu:
     
    [English]
     
    "Horacio Cartes Jara, thank you. Thank you my friend for making this bold decision to move your embassy to Jerusalem. You said you will do it, like someone else I know, like President Trump. You said you'd do it and you did it. Thank you.
     
    When we spoke about it today I said that Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years, the capital of the State of Israel for 70 years and you said: My decision merely recognizes history. That's true. It recognizes history but it also recognizes common sense. We have wonderful cities in Israel – one of them is Tel Aviv – a truly cosmopolitan city, a city of hi-tech, a city of enormous creativity. Tel Aviv is cherished in our hearts but Jerusalem is our capital. So you moved your embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem; this follows on history, common sense and truth. Thank you, thank you Horacio.
     
    Our friendship is expressed in so many ways. We recognize and remember the role that Paraguay played in saving Jews before the Holocaust, during the Holocaust, receiving Jewish refugees after the Holocaust. As it turns out today was not only a meeting of nations, it was a meeting of families and my wife's family, very few survived the Holocaust. One of them came here, her father, my late father-in-law and another went to Paraguay. And it turns out that the distinguished delegation here, which includes the distinguished ministries and the ambassadors and others, they know the Tauber family. So first of all, I want you to give them my regards and second, tell them: Next year in Jerusalem.
     
    And we are very grateful for the role that Paraguay has played. I speak on behalf of all those who are present here: the ministers of the Israeli government, Deputy Minister of the Foreign Ministry, our ambassadors, our National Security Advisor. We all welcome this friendship. Today we had the opportunity to discuss it in great detail and I want you to know that we are moving ahead because we believe in Paraguay. The way you believe in Israel - we believe in Paraguay.
     
    We know that it's one of the most advanced economies in all of Latin America. We know that you seek a better future for your people. You have wonderful plans, you've begun to execute them. We want to be part of this. We think that the combination of Israel and Paraguay can lead to great things for both our peoples and for South America. So we intend to make good on it and I can say next year in Asunción.
     
    Mr. President, you have joined the historic decision of President Trump. He has changed policy in fundamental ways not only on Jerusalem but also on Iran. If you asked most of the governments and most of the leaders in the Middle East what is the principle barrier to peace? What is the greatest threat to our security? They would say three things: Iran, Iran and Iran. And President Trump has taken a firm position, which we welcome, against Iran. It was echoed by him and today by the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, very strong position: No enrichment, tough sanctions and Iran should get out of Syria. We believe this is the right policy. We believe it's the only policy that could ultimately guarantee the security of the Middle East and peace in our region.
     
    And we call on all countries to follow America's lead here because Iran is an aggressive force. If Iran wanted to seep peaceful nuclear energy they would need not a single centrifuge. They don't need centrifuges for enrichment. If Iran wanted to pursue a peaceful program, nuclear program, they would not hide their secret archives for making nuclear weapons. The first thing that de Klerk did in South Africa when he destroyed their nuclear program, the first thing he destroyed was their archive. The first thing that was destroyed when the Libyan nuclear program was stopped was the archive. But Iran did not destroy the archive. Iran hid the archive, lied about it, moved it from place to place because they're seeking nuclear weapons and conquest. The American position prevents them from having nuclear weapons and breaks the cash machine that they were using to fund their conquest of the Middle East. Thank you America. This is the right policy.
     
    [Translated from the Hebrew]
     
    The US policy is correct. Iran is spreading aggressively throughout the Middle East. It aspires to achieve nuclear weapons by various means, which we exposed.
     
    President Trump's policy is correct: Zero enrichment, which is unnecessary, and Iran needs to leave Syria.
     
    We believe that this is a correct policy and we call on the entire international community to join this American position.
     
    Whoever wants to halt Iran's aggression and whoever wants to ensure security, and whoever wants to advance peace – must oppose Iran and support the American position. This is what Israel is doing.
     
    [End Hebrew]
     
    Horacio, unfortunately my Spanish isn’t good enough to say all of this in Spanish but I want you to know that we speak the same language – it's the language of the heart. We know that what you said is absolutely true – when we met in my office, in your first meeting, historic meeting, historic visit of a President of Paraguay for the first time in Israel, you said to me something that I shall never forget. You said: Remember that there is a piece of Israel in South America. It’s called Paraguay. Well I want you to remember that there's a piece of Paraguay that is here in the Middle East. It is in the State of Israel, here in Jerusalem in your embassy. Thank you Horacio. Thank you Paraguay. Thank you my friend."