Galant warns Iran against 'adventures' with Israel
MK Galant warns Iran not to enter into a confrontation with Israel, warning ‘it will not end well for them if they do’; lauds ‘wisdom’ and ‘charisma’ of Egyptian President al-Sisi.
Security Cabinet member and former commander of the IDF's Southern Command Yoav Galant (Kulanu) spoke Tuesday on the Iranian threat, warning the Islamic republic against entering a military confrontation against Israel as it will "not end well for them" if they do.
Galant added that leaders should differentiate between Iran's threats and deeds, referring to its tendency to make intimidating declarations against Israel which it rarely follows through on. "Haughty words will not shake us. The State of Israel is a strong, stable state, with security, military, tactical and strategic capabilities," he said.
"The Iranians should focus on developing a life of freedom and tranquility for their population and not seek an 'adventure' with Israel. That will not end well for them."
Galant also spoke about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi at the UN General Assembly in New York, describing it as highly important.
"The most important event in our history, beyond the establishment of the state, of course, is peace with Egypt during the period of Prime Minister Menachem Begin," he noted. "This meeting is very important, both for the fact that it happened and that it was so publically transparent."The very fact that the Egyptian president meets the prime minister in public in this way clearly demonstrates courage and leadership, as well as a very important change in the relations between us and the Egyptians," he noted.
Galant then praised al-Sisi, lauding him as a "very prominent leader" and compared him to former Egyptian presidents, saying that "he has a combination of (Gamal Abdel) Nasser's charisma and (Anwar) Sadat's wisdom."
"Egypt and Israel share, unfortunately, common quarrels; both Iran and Sunni extremism," Galant added, calling Egypt "a central partner in the Middle East" and stressing the strategic importance of Israel's relations with it.
"I see this meeting as a central point in the prime minister's visit (to the UN general assembly—ed), and I am very happy about it," Galant continued. "We want Egypt on our side as one of the dominant elements in the Arab-Muslim-Sunni world."
He further noted that both Israel and Egypt has a common interest in stopping Iran from interfering in the region to promote their ideologies, and that "cooperation with Egypt in order to stop the jihadists is very important."
The meeting between Netanyahu and al-Sisi was their first public appearance together. At their meeting, the two leaders discussed ways to renew peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
A statement from Netanyahu's office said the meeting, held at the Palace Hotel where al-Sisi is staying while in New York, was "comprehensive" and dealt with the "problems in the region."
According to a statement from al-Sisi's office, the Egyptian president stressed the importance of renewing peace talks in order to reach a just solution based on the idea of two states for two peoples.
Al-Sisi also thanked the Trump administration for US efforts on the matter, adding that resolving the Palestinian issue would create a new reality in the Middle East that would allow stability and security to all countries in the region.
The Egyptian statement also noted Netanyahu expressed his appreciation to al-Sisi for Cairo's important role in the Middle East, its fight against terrorism and its efforts to achieve stability and peace in the region.
