Dichter and Vilnai
Photo: Defense Ministry
Dichter: Iran is an existential threat
MK Avi Dichter officially assumes role of Home Front Defense minister. Outgoing Minister Vilnai predicts ministry's importance will only grow
Newly inducted Home Front Defense Minister MK Avi Dichter officially took office on Sunday, at a ceremony held at the IDF's Tel Aviv Rabin Base (AKA "Hakirya").
Dichter, who will be taking over for Matan Vilnai, who was named ambassador to China, said he was taking office with great respect for his predecessor's work.
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"The defense establishment has learned many valuable lessons from the Second Lebanon War, but our enemies have also been building their offensive capabilities.
"Lebanon, Gaza and Syria pose a strategic threat, and Iran, for the first time, poses an existential threat."
Dichter and Vilnai (Photo: The Defense Ministry)
According to Dichter, the IDF's massive defensive and offensive abilities are "Meant to ensure that the home front doesn’t turns into the front line.
"The Arab Spring has rattled the region and it mandates that the Israeli leadership carefully reviews its policies," he said.
Outgoing minister Vilnai added: "The past five years have dramatically changed what we call 'the home front' in Israel. It should really be referred to as "the civilian front.'
"My successor to this office is a worthy man, as befitting a worthy ministry. The Home Front Defense Ministry will only become more and more important now," he said.
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