Referencing Jewish holiday of Purim, Netanyahu tells Putin that Iran continues historic attempt to destroy Jewish people.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday at the beginning of his meeting with Russian President Putin that Israel does not want the radical Sunni terrorism of Al-Qaida and the Islamic State group in Syria to be replaced with radical Shi’ite terrorism led by Iran.
After Putin wished Netnayahu a happy Purim, the prime minister responded by saying that in ancient Persia there was an attempt to destroy the Jewish people, but it failed, and that why holiday is celebrated to this day.
skip – bibi lands in Russia
“Today there is an attempt and the continuation of Persia, Iran, to destroy the Jewish state. They say it in the clearest terms possible, they engrave it into their ballistic missiles,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu said Wednesday that Iran is the main threat facing Israel, and because of this threat “shared interests are emerging” between Israel and many countries in the region, which could in turn help advance the peace process with the Palestinians.
“The force we have to contend with is mainly this: Iran and its offshoots, more and more Hamas, supplying arms, development of weaponry and general aggression in the region and beyond,” he said.
Barak Ravid
www.haaretz.com/
