​Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this morning (Sunday, 17 January 2016), made the following remarks at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting:
 
"Following the nuclear agreement with Iran, Israel will continue to monitor all of Iran's international violations, including regarding the nuclear agreement, the ballistic missile agreement and terrorism. The international community must enact severe and aggressive sanctions against each violation. Were it not for our efforts to lead sanctions and thwart Iran's nuclear program, Iran would have had nuclear weapons some time ago. Israel's policy is exactly as it has been – not to allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons. What is clear is that Iran will now have more resources to divert to terrorism and its aggression in the region and around the world, and Israel is prepared to deal with any threat.
 
Discussions with the American administration are currently being completed on a document of understandings for the coming decade regarding security assistance to the State of Israel. This is an important part of permanent policy between the United States, our ally, and us, and it is important in order to repel threats in the region, especially the Iranian threat.
 
We in the Cabinet are continuing to promote new businesses in Israel. In continuation of the plan we passed three weeks ago, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri and I are today submitting to the Cabinet the roadmap for implementing reforms to the business taxation law. We will enact easements for whoever opens a business because today it is not clear what a person or an entrepreneur must do. We are unifying, simplifying and clarifying all of the requirements in a clear and unified manner. I think that this is very important for promoting new businesses in Israel.
 
In the same spirit, today in the Cabinet, Minister Gila Gamliel and I are submitting a seemingly simple proposal, but one which will make it much easier for Israeli citizens because from this decision on, citizens will be able to contact government ministries by email and not by fax. The time has come; this is clear.
 
I would like to say a word about the NGO law. I do not understand how a requirement for transparency is anti-democratic; the opposite is true. In a democratic regime, we need to know who is financing such NGOs, from the Right, the Left, up or down. Financing by governments is certainly something the public should know about; it has a right to know. What needs to be done is to adopt the norms accepted by the US House of Representatives. And, therefore, I request that this law be advanced with two amendments: First, to drop the demand that representatives of these NGO's wear tags in the Knesset – this is unnecessary. Second, to require reports about the first shekel or dollar from foreign governments; we will thus bring the law in line with what is accepted in the US. In my view, these two amendments are necessary. I think that they are very important.
 
Now, regarding the double standard that is applied to us. You will recall that the Swedish Foreign Minister said that the actions of the security forces in Israel, as well as those of citizens, to prevent being murdered by people with knives are executions and must be investigated in accordance with international law. I would like to ask her if what occurred in Sweden last October in which a man with, not a knife, but a long sword, killed three people and was killed by Swedish forces, if she proposes that this incident also be investigated in accordance with international law as an execution?
 
It is absolutely clear that there is an absurdity and a total distortion here, and we attack this and reject it outright. I hope that this spirit will not continue in the EU foreign ministers' discussions next week. The double standard, distortion, attacks and bias against Israel will not help the EU to be a partner in discussions on the Middle East, but even more, this is simply inappropriate and unjust and we will not accept it."