Despite fierce criticism, Netanyahu defends Turkey agreement
June 27, 2016Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has defended Israel’s normalization agreement with Turkey, saying the deal will have “immense” implications for the Israeli economy.
Speaking in Rome, where he is set to formally announce the deal at a noon press conference Monday, Netanyahu said he had updated US Secretary of State John Kerry on the developments.
“We discussed everything that the Secretary spoke about – the challenges in the region from ISIL, east, west, south. We discussed not only American-Israeli security cooperation, but security cooperation in a larger regional context,” Netanyahu said.
“We discussed how we can advance the process with the Palestinians, difficult though it may be. We discussed regional implications for stabilizing the Middle East, moving into a place where it will be less convulsive. And we discussed some bilateral issues between us.”
“I updated Secretary Kerry about our agreement with Turkey, which we will show at noon. I think it’s an important step here to normalize relations on one side,” Netanyahu insisted. “It has also immense implications for the Israeli economy, and I use that word advisedly – immense implications for the Israeli economy and I mean positive immense implications.”
The PM emphasized that his primary motivation was to actualize Israel’s natural gas potential; as part of the normalization agreement, talks will begin towards a lucrative deal to sell natural gas to Ankara.
He recounted how a “gas expert” he met with several years ago had told him “This will create the foundations, part of the foundations, of the future of your economy.”
“That has been uppermost in my mind, and I’ll say more about that today at lunch,” he said.
Despite the prime minister’s insistence that the reconciliation deal is good for Israel, the agreement has come under fire from a wide variety of critics – including opposition MKs, members of his own government, a former senior Likud official and the families of Avera Mengistu – an Israel civilian held captive by Hamas in Gaza – and IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, whose bodies have been held by Hamas since 2014.
Turkey is a key backer of Hamas, and the families say that by not including their loved ones’ return in the deal the government has effectively abandoned them.
Similar posts
-
Israel Is Held To A Higher Standard Than Any Country
April 25, 2024In the intricate tapestry of global affairs, one nation stands out for enduring scrutiny and condem...
-
Israel Has The Most Moral Military In The World
April 10, 2024In the heart of a region often riddled with conflict, Israel stands out not only for its technologi...
-
The Resilience of the Israeli People
April 2, 2024Visitors from around the world have seen Hamas's October 7th Massacre's destruction in southern Isr...
-
Israel: Small Size, Big Impact
March 21, 2024Nestled along the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel is a land of immense historical sig...
-
Israelis Are Fighting For Their Lives
February 21, 2024By Jonathan S. Tobin The world looks a lot different from Kibbutz Kfar Aza than it does in the U...
-
Over 2 Million Arabs Live In Israel
January 23, 2024In the complex landscape of the Middle East, where diverse cultures and identities intersect, Israe...
-
'Fauda' Star Idan Amedi Injured Fighting in Gaza
January 8, 2024Despite the severity of his injuries, Amedi's father assured Israeli news channels that his life is...
-
Israel Is A Great Country To Live In
December 28, 2023Nestled at the crossroads of the Middle East, Israel stands as a vibrant and dynamic nation, offeri...