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Last update - 05:54 07/10/2009
Netanyahu speech / PM slams Gaza probe, challenges UN to confront Iran
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu 

In a dramatic address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran poses a threat to the peace of the world and that it is incumbent on the world body to prevent the Islamic Republic from obtaining nuclear weapons.

In response to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's claims about the Holocaust, Netanyahu began his speech by lambasting those who did not walk out on the controversial leader during his speech on Wednesday.

For the full text of Netanyahu's speech, click here.
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The premier also took aim at Ahmadinejad's litany of statements casting doubt on the Holocaust.

"Is this protocol a lie?" Netanyahu asked as he brandished the minutes of the Wansee Conference, the 1942 meeting during which Nazi officials planned the Final Solution.

The prime minister also held up the architectural blueprints of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camps that bear the signature of Hitler's deputy, Heinrich Himmler.

"Are the successive German governments that have kept these documents for posterity all liars?" the premier asked. "And what of the survivors whose arms still bear the tattooed numbers branded on them by the Nazis? Are those tattoos a lie, too?"

Netanyahu praised world diplomats who walked out of Ahmadinejad's fiery speech to the UN on Wednesday and assailed those who remained seated.

"Yesterday the president of Iran stood at this very podium and spewed his anti-Semitic rants," the premier said. "Just a few days earlier he claimed that the Holocaust was a lie."

"Do those who listened to Ahmadinejad's speech have no shame, no decency?" the premier asked. "Nearly one-third of all Jews at the time perished in the Holocaust," he said. "Nearly every family was affected, including my own."

"Perhaps some of you think [Ahmadinejad] and his odious regime only threaten the Jews," Netanyahu continued. "Well, if you think that you are wrong, dead wrong."

Netanyahu warned against the dangers posed by Iran, imploring the West to confront the Islamic Republic's "religious fanaticism."

"The struggle against Iran pits civilization against barbarism," Netanyahu told the UN. "This Iranian regime is fueled by extreme fundamentalism."

"What starts as attacks on Jews always ends up engulfing others," Netanyahu said. "This regime embodies the extremes of Islamic fundamentalism."

The premier challenged the world body to prevent Iran from acquiring weapons of mass destruction. Israel and the Western powers believe Iran's nuclear program is of a military nature, a charge the Iranians deny.

Netanyahu said the progress made in the postwar 20th century could be undone if Iran is permitted to build atomic weapons.

"History could be reversed if primitive fanaticism acquires deadly weapons," the premier told the UN. "The jury is still out on the United Nations, and the signs aren`t encouraging."

The prime minister also assailed the Goldstone Commission Report which accused Israel of committing war crimes during Operation Cast Lead, the three-week offensive against the Hamas-led Gaza Strip.

"Israel has justly defended against terrorism," Netanyahu said. "This report provides a clear-cut bias against Israel."

"Rather than condemn terrorism, some at the UN are condemning its victims," Netanyahu said. "It is not easy to fight terrorists firing from schools and mosques."

The premier said Israel has gone to "extraordinary" lengths to advance peace in the region, including the unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

"The Gaza disengagement was very painful for Israel," the prime minister said. "Israel withdrew from Gaza because we believed it would achieve peace."

Netanyahu took the UN to task for "remaining silent" while Gaza gunmen launched Qassam rockets at Israeli towns and communities in the western Negev.

The prime minister said his country wants "genuine peace" and he praised the late Arab leaders Anwar Sadat and King Hussein of Jordan for their "courage" in forging diplomatic ties with Israel.

"Every time an Arab leader truly wanted peace, they got it," Netanyahu said. "If the Palestinians truly want peace, we will make peace."

Netanyahu also reiterated an Israeli demand that the Palestinians explicitly recognize Israel as "the state of the Jewish people."

"Say yes to a Jewish state," Netanyahu urged the Palestinians. "The Jewish people are not foreign conquerors in the land of Israel."

Netanyahu said he recognized that the Palestinians are also desirous of a homeland, and that Israel was committed to living side by side with its Arab neighbors.

As a condition for peace, the prime minister said any future Palestinian state must be "effectively demilitarized" so that it would not have the means to threaten Israel.

"I said effective because we do not want another Gaza, another south Lebanon, another Iranian-backed terror base threatening Jerusalem," Netanyahu said. "We want peace, and I believe that with goodwill and hard work, such a peace can be achieved."

Netanyahu also invoked Winston Churchill in imploring the international community to oppose Iran and the rejectionist groups it supports, including Hamas and Hezbollah.

"The question facing the international community is whether it is prepared to confront these forces or just accommodate them," the premier said.

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      1.   Gee, watched the speech!!!! The room was 20:44  |  ballistic 24/09/09
      2.   Amen, Netanyahu. Livni would have apologized to the UN. 20:51  |  4:20 24/09/09
      3.   Bibis speach at the un 20:54  |  Benny Salomon 24/09/09
      4.   What a speaker 20:57  |  Yuriy Bortnik 24/09/09
      5.   #2 4:20 correction 21:05  |  Chaim Ben Kahan 24/09/09
      6.   #1 ballistic "Israelis are not Foreign to Israel" 21:13  |  H 24/09/09
      7.   Standing Arrogantly with Gadaffi and Ahmadinejad 21:19  |  Mark Lincoln 24/09/09
      8.   Standing ovation here for Netanyahu 21:22  |  Kara 24/09/09
      9.   iran 21:29  |  bill hankins 24/09/09
      10.   Speech 21:35  |  Brett 24/09/09
      11.   Those who choose peace with Israel will get peace... 21:38  |  Realist 24/09/09
      12.   Speech 21:48  |  John Villanueva 24/09/09
      13.   They should not have walked out on Ahmadinejad`s speech 21:52  |  Koppers 24/09/09
      14.   Netanyahu repeating the same old, same old Israeli mantra..... 22:00  |  Swiss (Dino) 24/09/09
      15.   reply to #7 22:04  |  Glenn Harbison 24/09/09
      16.   Congratulations PM Netanyahu 22:06  |  Israeli Supporter 24/09/09
      17.   The Speech 22:10  |  Bobby 24/09/09
      18.   It was as if Bibi was challenging the whole world... 22:13  |  Esther 24/09/09
      19.   Why...Israelis please explain to me: 22:15  |  Arab 24/09/09
      20.   Benjamin Netanyahu Speech 22:20  |  Bruce Schultz 24/09/09
      21.   b-o-r-i-n-g 22:26  |  24 24/09/09
      22.   Those who chos war will get war 22:30  |  Mark 24/09/09
      23.   Brilliant BiBi 22:32  |  Michael 24/09/09
      24.   Those who want peace will get peace? 22:40  |  jim the mechanic 24/09/09
      25.   The big news is... 23:12  |  Jew 24/09/09
      26.   Netanyahu and Churchil 23:32  |  Fred 24/09/09
      27.   Full Transcript of Speech 23:39  |  Marc Leb 24/09/09
      28.   The Realist? Those who choose peace 23:39  |  alan 24/09/09
      29.   Brett 23:40  |  Linichka 24/09/09
      30.   Bibi Is Absolutely Correct 23:46  |  Eli 24/09/09
      31.   PM Netanyahu gave powerful UN speech and concrete evidence 00:02  |  Smadar 25/09/09
      32.   Netanyahu repeating the same old Israeli mantra...... 00:03  |  Swiss (Dino) 25/09/09
      33.   Temper, temper... 00:05  |  Silvio 25/09/09
      34.   Bibi is the best 00:20  |  rich 25/09/09
      35.   3 speeches, 3 nutters 00:37  |  binny 25/09/09
      36.   What did Netanyahu say at the end of his speech? 00:49  |  Cindy 25/09/09
      37.   Excellent speach 00:50  |  MR 25/09/09
      38.   The UN needs to challenge the occupation first! 01:08  |  Sam 25/09/09
      39.   Audacious 01:08  |  Ghassan 25/09/09
      40.   Spot on, Bibi! 01:10  |  Morris Valentine 25/09/09
      41.   We praise G-D and His WORD for BIBI and His Truth ?? 01:19  |  bill 25/09/09
      42.   To response #1. 01:19  |  sandra chitayat 25/09/09
      43.   Wonderful speach Mr Minister 01:20  |  Levi 25/09/09
      44.   Mormon and Jewish Holocaust victims 01:20  |  anonymous 25/09/09
      45.   Bibi Told Everyone To Pound Sand. If You Want Peace 01:33  |  Eli 25/09/09
      46.   Indeed!! 01:34  |  c v 25/09/09
      47.   binny, your totally right 01:35  |  mosdave 25/09/09
      48.   Mr. Netanyahu 01:52  |  william mitchell 25/09/09
      49.   BRILLIANT AND GREAT SPEECH 02:00  |  FADY EGYPT 25/09/09
      50.   Bibi`s emotional appeal 02:08  |  Nero 25/09/09
      51.   Swiss(Dino) _ Israel Has Plenty To Give. In Fact 02:27  |  Eli 25/09/09
      52.   Excellent BIBI 02:36  |  An Australian 25/09/09
      53.   BRAVO, BIBI, BRAVO 02:46  |  Irina 25/09/09
      54.   Swiss (Dino) At least he is not demanding 05:20  |  David Israel 25/09/09
      55.   Bib did well. 06:41  |  flower, USA 25/09/09
      56.   TO Chaim Ben Kahan #5 06:54  |  Steve Beikirch 25/09/09
      57.   #Lincoln - That wasn`t "Arrogant Contempt" 07:03  |  *BEN JABO 25/09/09
      58.   #14 Swiss (Dino) I see it flew over your head 07:06  |  *BEN JABO 25/09/09
      59.   #19 Arab - Ashburn 07:08  |  *BEN JABO 25/09/09
      60.   Well Done Bibi 07:17  |  fredyr 25/09/09
      61.   Mark Lincoln, I wish you were wrong... 07:19  |  BBSNews 25/09/09
      62.   Bibi on the Jewish state... 07:49  |  BBSNews 25/09/09
      63.   Netanyahu speec at UN 08:11  |  ubaldo ciavaglioli 25/09/09
      64.   Netanyahu`s speech was one of the best ever heard at the UN, both 09:09  |  Eitan 25/09/09
      65.   To Arab: It is not your land for sure. 7th century 09:11  |  AA 25/09/09
      66.   Kara # 8 11:40  |  John 25/09/09
      67.   Bobby in Canada # 17 11:44  |  Jake 25/09/09
      68.   Bibi is the man 11:48  |  Peter Williams 25/09/09
      69.   kara 12:21  |  Israel 25/09/09
      70.   Very good (and balanced!) speech 12:33  |  Victor 25/09/09
      71.   UN speech 20:37  |  TC 25/09/09
      72.   prime minister netanyahu`s speech 23:57  |  lisasherry 25/09/09
      73.   Jake ..67 04:35  |  Nemesis 26/09/09
      74.   The American People Are With Israel 05:18  |  kozanne 26/09/09
      75.   the man`s demagogy 10:00  |  zeev 26/09/09
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