​​(Communicated by the Prime minister's Media Adviser)
 
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this morning (Wednesday, 7 September 2016), at the Dutch States General (parliament) in The Hague, met with Senate President Ankie Broekers-Knol, House of Representatives Speaker Khadija Arib and members of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee. 
 
The Prime Minister told them that in many respects, Israel is defending not only itself but Europe as well. He noted that Israel is a factor for stability in the Middle East and the most stabilizing element in the region.
 
Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel's position in the world is strengthening and added that its technological prowess and unyielding fight against terrorism are – inter alia – strengthening its position in the international arena.
 
He told the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee that the source of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is not the communities in Judea and Samaria but the obdurate refusal of the Palestinians to recognize the State of Israel as the state of the Jewish People.
 
Prime Minister Netanyahu praised the close relationship between Israel and the Netherlands. Foreign Affairs Committee Chairperson Angelien Eijsink said, at the end of the meeting, that the close relations between the two countries were based on shared values.
 
At the start of his visit, the Prime Minister signed the guestbook.