| June 23, 2014
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PM Netanyahu responds to Presbyterian divestment

 

Prime Minister Netanyahu: Israel is only country in region “where you have freedom, tolerance, protection of minorities, protection of gays, protection of Christians!”

Although doing their biding, the Presbyterians deny taking part in BDS.

Associated Press

 

Israel’s prime minister on Sunday criticized the decision by the Presbyterian Church (USA) to divest from US companies that operate in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, saying the vote was misguided and unfair.

Photo: issued the following statement this afternoon:"Hamas terrorists carried out Thursday's kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers. We know that for a fact. These teenagers were kidnapped and the kidnapping was carried out by Hamas members. Hamas denials do not change this fact. And this attack should surprise no one because Hamas makes no secret of its agenda. Hamas is committed to the destruction of Israel and to carrying out terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians – including children.Instead of abiding by his international obligation to disarm Hamas, President Abbas has chosen to make Hamas his partner. Israel holds the Palestinian Authority and President Abbas responsible for any attacks against Israel that emanate from Palestinian-controlled territory. The Palestinian claim that the Palestinian Authority cannot be held responsible for an attack that took place in an area under Israeli security control is patently absurd.When an attack takes place in Tel Aviv or in London or in New York – all these places have been attacked by terrorists – the question is not where the attack takes place. The question is where it originated. The kidnappers in this case set out from territory controlled by the Palestinian Authority, and the PA cannot absolve itself of its responsibility.You remember that Israel warned the international community about the dangers of endorsing the Fatah-Hamas unity pact. I believe that the dangers of that pact now should be abundantly clear to all. We have seen since the signing of that pact an increase in terrorist activity emanating from the West Bank. We have seen Hamas strengthen its presence there, and this increases the likelihood that Hamas will take control of the Palestinian Authority, precisely as it did in Gaza. This will not advance peace; it will advance terror.Israel will act in all ways under its province, in all ways under our control, to bring home the three kidnapped teenagers . Israel will act against the kidnappers and their terrorist sponsors and comrades. We will do whatever needs to be done to protect our people, our citizens, our children and our teenagers from the scourge of terrorism.Thank you."Photo: Avi Ohayon, GPO.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – Photo: Avi Ohayon, GPO

In an address to an international gathering of Jewish journalists, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Israel as a rare bright spot in a turbulent region. While stopping short of accusing the Presbyterians of anti-Semitism, he wondered why Israel had been singled out.

“When the Middle East is fragmented in this horrible war, this savage, savage war between militant Shiites and militant Sunnis … the only place where you have freedom, tolerance, protection of minorities, protection of gays, protection of Christians and all other faiths is Israel,” said Netanyahu.

The Presbyterian Church (USA) on Friday voted to sell church stock in Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard and Motorola Solutions, three companies whose products Israel uses in the occupied West Bank.

The 1.8 million-member church became the most prominent religious group in the US to endorse divestment in a sign of protest against Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. It rejected a similar proposal two years ago.

Netanyahu called on the group of nearly 300 international Jewish journalists to “defeat a lie … with truth, with facts, with courage.”

“Let’s arrange a bus tour for (Presbyterians) in the region. Let them go to maybe Syria, Lebanon, Iraq. And my only suggestion for them … (make) it be in an armor-plated bus,” he added.

Presbyterians who advocated for divestment insisted their action was not part of a broader movement known as BDS – boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel – but the decision to divest is timely. US-led peace talks with the Palestinians recently collapsed and Israeli military forces have stepped up operations in the West Bank since three Jewish teens were abducted on June 12.

 

View original Ynet publication at: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4533308,00.html

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