ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF

ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS

PM Netanyahu’s Remarks at the Conclusion of the Visit to Yad Vashem

Source: PMO, 3-22-13

יום שישי י”א ניסן תשע”ג

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this morning made the following remarks at the conclusion of the visit to Yad Vashem:

“During the Holocaust the Jewish People were helpless and its rescuers came too late. Today, the Jewish People have a state and an army and it can defend itself by itself against any foe.”

דברי ראש הממשלה נתניהו בסיום הביקור ביד ושם

Remarks by US President Barack Obama at Yad Vashem

Source: PMO, 3-22-13

יום שישי י”א ניסן תשע”ג

Photo by GPO

Transcription

“Unto them I will give my house and within my walls memorial and a name; an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.”

President Peres,

Prime Minister Netanyahu,

Chairman Shalev,

Rabbi Lau,

Thank you for sharing this house, this memorial with me today.

Thank you to the people of Israel for preserving the names of the millions taken from us, of blessed memory, names that shall never be forgotten.

This is my second visit to this living memorial, since then I’ve walked among the barbed wire and guard towers of Buchenwald. Rabbi Lau told me of his time there and we reminisced about our good friend Eli Wiesel and the memories that he shared with me.

I’ve stood in the old Warsaw Ghetto with survivors who would not go quietly. But nothing equals the wrenching power of this sacred place where the totality of the Shoah is told.

We have come here a thousand times and each time our hearts would break for here we see the depravity to which man can sink, the barbarism that unfolds when we begin to see our fellow human beings as somehow less than us, less worthy of dignity and of life. We see how evil can for a moment in time triumph when good people do nothing, and how silence abetted a crime unique in human history.

Here we see their faces and we hear their voices. We look upon the objects of their lives, the art that they created, the prayer books that they carried.

We see that even as they had hate etched into their arms, they were not numbers. They were men and women and children – so many children – sent to their deaths because of who they were, how they prayed and who they loved.

And yet here alongside man’s capacity for evil, we also are reminded of man’s capacity for good.

The rescuers, the Righteous Among Nations who refused to be bystanders, and in their noble acts of courage, we see how this place, this accounting of horror, is in the end a source of hope. For here we learn that we are never powerless.

In our lives we always have choices: to succumb to our worst instincts, or to summon the better angles of our nature; to be indifferent to suffering wherever it may be, whoever it may be visited upon, or to display empathy that is at the core of our humanity.

We have the choice to acquiesce to evil or make real our solemn vow: Never Again.

We have the choice to ignore what happens to others or to act on behalf of others and to continually examine in ourselves whatever dark places there may be that might lead to such actions or inactions.

This is our obligation – not simply to bear witness, but to act.

For us, in our time, this means confronting bigotry and hatred in all of its forms, racism – especially anti-Semitism. None of that has a place in the civilized world – not in the classrooms of children, not in the corridors of power. And let us never forget the link between the two.

For our sons and daughter are not born to hate, they are taught to hate. So let’s fill their young hearts with the same understanding and compassion that we hope others have for them.

Here we hope, because after you walk through these halls, after you pass through the darkness, there is light – the glorious view of the Jerusalem Forest with the sun shining over the historic homeland of the Jewish people, a fulfillment of the prophecy “You shall live again upon your own soil.”

Here on your ancient land, let it be said for all the world to hear: the State of Israel does not exist because of the Holocaust, but with the survival of a strong Jewish State of Israel, such a Holocaust will never happen again.

Here we pray that we all can be better, that we can all grow, like the sapling near the Children’s Memorial, a sapling from a chestnut tree that Anne Frank could see from her window.

The last time she described it in her diary, she wrote: “Our chestnut tree is in full bloom; it’s covered with leaves and is even more beautiful than last year.”

That’s a reminder of who we can be. But we have to work for it. We have to work for it here in Israel; we have to work for it in America; we have to work for it around the world, to tend the light and the brightness as opposed to our worst instincts.

נאום נשיא ארה”ב ברק אובמה בביקור ביד ושם

US President Barack Obama Visits Mt. Herzl and Lays Wreaths on Herzl’s Grave and on Rabin’s Grave

Source: PMO, 3-22-13

יום שישי י”א ניסן תשע”ג

US President Barack Obama, President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this morning visited Mt. Herzl. President Obama laid wreaths on the grave of Theodor (Binyamin Zeev) Herzl and on the grave of Yitzhak Rabin, accompanied by members of the Rabin family. On Rabin’s grave, President Obama laid a stone that he brought with him from the grave of the Rev. Martin Luther King.

Prime Minister Netanyahu told President Obama that Herzl’s grave is the site of the traditional annual ceremony marking the transition from Remembrance Day for the Fallen of Israel’s Wars to Independence Day.

President Obama wrote in the Mt. Herzl guestbook: “It is humbling and inspiring to visit and remember the visionary who began the remarkable establishment of the State of Israel. May our two countries possess the same vision and will to secure peace and prosperity for future generations.”

PM Netanyahu Thanks US President Obama for his Unreserved Support for the State of Israel

Source: PMO, 3-21-13

יום חמישי י’ ניסן תשע”ג

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanks US President Barack Obama for his unreserved support for the State of Israel.

Prime Minister Netanyahu shares President Obama’s view regarding the need to advance a peace that ensures the security of Israel’s citizens.

Prime Minister Netanyahu also agrees with President Obama that we have an eretz nehederet (literally “wonderful country”; also the name of a popular Israeli satirical TV program).

ראש הממשלה נתניהו מודה לנשיא אובמה על התמיכה הבלתי מסוייגת במדינת ישראל

Source: PMO, 3-21-13

יום חמישי י’ ניסן תשע”ג

ראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו מודה לנשיא ארה״ב ברק אובמה על התמיכה הבלתי מסוייגת במדינת ישראל.

ראש הממשלה נתניהו שותף לדעתו של הנשיא אובמה שצריך לקדם שלום שמבטיח את ביטחונם של כל אזרחי ישראל.

ראש הממשלה נתניהו גם מסכים עם הנשיא אובמה שיש לנו ארץ נהדרת.

State Dinner at the Residence of President Shimon Peres

Source: PMO, 3-21-13

יום חמישי י’ ניסן תשע”ג

In the framework of the state dinner, President Shimon Peres will award President Obama with the Presidential Medal of Distinction for his unique contribution to the security of the State of Israel. This will be the first time in the history of bilateral relations that an Israeli President will award the medal to a serving US President. The Presidential Medal of Distinction award ceremony will be held during a state dinner at the President’s Residence that will be attended by the Prime Minister and his wife, Israeli public figures and senior US administration officials. President Peres will bestow the Medal on President Obama and deliver a special speech to mark the occasion. The decision to award President Obama the medal was taken by President Peres following the recommendations of the Presidential Medal of Distinction advisory committee which includes – inter alia – retired Supreme Court President Meir Shamgar and former President Yitzhak Navon.

Remarks by President Barak Obama at the State Dinner Hosted by President of the State of Israel Shimon Peres

Source: PMO, 3-21-13

יום חמישי י’ ניסן תשע”ג

Photo by GPO

Transcription

Thank you so much.  Thank you.  Thank you very much.

President Peres,

Prime Minister Netanyahu and First Lady Sara,

Distinguished Guests and Friends,

This is an extraordinary honor for me, and I could not be more deeply moved.  But I have to say, after the incredible welcome I have received over the past two days and the warmth of the Israeli people, the tribute from President Peres, the honor of this medal – I mean, as you say, dayenu [it would have been enough].

Now I’m told that the Talmud teaches that you shouldn’t pronounce all the praises of a person in their presence, and Mr. President, if I praised all the chapters of your remarkable life, then we would be here all night.  So let me simply say this about our gracious host: Mr. President, the State of Israel has been the cause of your life through bitter wars and fragile peace, through hardship and prosperity.  You’ve built her; you’ve cared for her; you’ve strengthened her; you’ve nurtured the next generation who will inherit her.

Ben-Gurion, Meir, Begin, Rabin – these giants have left us.  Only you are with us still, the founding father in our midst.  We are so grateful for your vision, your friendship, but most of all, for your example, including the example of your extraordinary vitality.  Every time I see your president, I ask him who his doctor is.  We all want to know the secret, so with gratitude for your life and your service, and as you prepare to celebrate your 90th birthday this summer, and since I’m starting to get pretty good at Hebrew, let me propose a toast even though you’ve taken away my wine – come on, bring another one.  So, a toast – ad mea ve’esrim [may you live until your 120th birthday].  L’Chaim [to life]!  That’s good wine.  Actually, we should probably get this out of the photograph.  All these people will say I’m having too much fun in Israel.

Just a few more words, Mr. President.  You mentioned that this medal is presented in recognition of progress towards the ideals of equality and opportunity and justice, but I am mindful that I stand here tonight because of so many others, including the example and the sacrifices of the Jewish people.  In a few days, as we do at every Seder, we’ll break and hide a piece of matzo.  It’s a great way to entertain the kids.  Malia and Sasha, even though they’re getting older, they still enjoy it, and there are a lot of good places to hide it in the White House.

But on a much deeper level, it speaks to the scope of our human experience, how parts of our lives can be broken while other parts can be elusive, how we can never give up searching for the things that make us whole.  Few know this better than the Jewish people.  After slavery and decades in the wilderness and with Moses gone, the future of the Israelites was in doubt.  But with Joshua as their guide, they pushed on to victory.

After the First Temple was destroyed, it seemed Jerusalem was lost, but with courage and resolve, the Second Temple reestablished the Jewish presence.  After centuries of persecution and intolerance, the Shoah aimed to eliminate the entire Jewish people.  But the gates of the camps flew open.  There emerged the ultimate rebuke to hate and to ignorance: survivors would live and love again.  When the moment of Israel’s independence was met by aggression on all sides, it was unclear whether this nation would survive, but with heroism and sacrifice, the State of Israel not only endured, but thrived.  And during six days in June and Yom Kippur one October, it seemed as though all you had built might be lost, but when the guns fell silent, it was clear the nation of Israel lives.

As I said in my speech earlier today, this story – from slavery to salvation, of overcoming even the most overwhelming odds – is a message that has inspired the world, and that includes Jewish-Americans, but also African-Americans who have so often had to deal with their own challenges, but with whom you have stood shoulder to shoulder.  African-Americans and Jewish-Americans marched together at Selma and Montgomery with rabbis carrying the Torah as they walked.  They boarded buses for freedom rides together.  They bled together.  They gave their lives together.  Jewish-Americans like Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, alongside African-American James Chaney.  Because of their sacrifice, because of the struggle of generations in both our countries, we can come together tonight in freedom and in security.

So if I can paraphrase the psalm: they turned our mourning into dancing; they changed our sackcloths into robes of joy.  And this evening I would like to close with the words of two leaders who brought us some of this joy.  Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel was born in Poland and lost his mother and sister to the Nazis.  He came to America.  He raised his voice for social justice.  He marched with Martin Luther King.  And he spoke of the State of Israel in words that could well describe the struggle for equality in America:”Our very existence is a witness that man must live towards redemption,” he said, and that “history is not always made by man alone”.

Rabbi Joachim Prinz was born in Germany, expelled by the Nazis and found refuge in America where he built support for the new State of Israel, and on that August day in 1963, he joined Dr. King at the March on Washington, and this is what Rabbi Prinz said to the crowd: “In the realm of the spirit, our Father has taught us thousands of years ago that when G-d created men, he created them as everybody’s neighbor.  Neighbor is not a geographic concept; it is a moral concept.  It means our collective responsibility for the preservation of man’s dignity and integrity”.

President Peres,

Prime Minister Netanyahu,

Friends,

Our very existence, our presence here tonight, is a testament that all things are possible, even those things that, in moments of darkness and doubt, may seem elusive.  And the stories of our peoples teach us to never stop searching for the things – the justice and the peace – that make us whole.  And so as we go forward together with confidence, we will know that while our countries may be separated by a great ocean, in the realm of the spirit, we will always be neighbors and friends.

I very humbly accept this award, understanding that I’m accepting it on behalf of the American people who are joined together with you.  May G-d bless you and may he watch over our two great nations.

Thank you very much.

ארוחת ערב ממלכתית במשכן נשיא המדינה שמעון פרס

Source: PMO, 3-21-13

Remarks of U.S. President Obama To the Israeli Students

Source: PMO, 3-21-13

יום חמישי י’ ניסן תשע”ג

Photo by GPO

Thank you. Thank you so much. Well, it is a great honor to be with you here in Jerusalem, and I’m so grateful for the welcome that I’ve received from the people of Israel.  Thank you. I bring with me the support of the American people and the friendship that binds us together.

Over the last two days, I’ve reaffirmed the bonds between our countries with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Peres. I’ve borne witness to the ancient history of the Jewish people at the Shrine of the Book, and I’ve seen Israel’s shining future in your scientists and your entrepreneurs.  This is a nation of museums and patents, timeless holy sites and ground-breaking innovation.  Only in Israel could you see the Dead Sea Scrolls and the place where the technology on board the Mars Rover originated at the same time.

But what I’ve most looked forward to is the ability to speak directly to you, the Israeli people — especially so many young people who are here today to talk about the history that brought us here today, and the future that you will make in the years to come.

Now, I know that in Israel’s vibrant democracy, every word, every gesture is carefully scrutinized. But I want to clear something up just so you know — any drama between me and my friend, Bibi, over the years was just a plot to create material for Eretz Nehederet. That’s the only thing that was going on.  We just wanted to make sure the writers had good material.

I also know that I come to Israel on the eve of a sacred holiday — the celebration of Passover.  And that is where I would like to begin today.

Just a few days from now, Jews here in Israel and around the world will sit with family and friends at the Seder table, and celebrate with songs, wine and symbolic foods.  After enjoying Seders with family and friends in Chicago and on the campaign trail, I’m proud that I’ve now brought this tradition into the White House.  I did so because I wanted my daughters to experience the Haggadah, and the story at the center of Passover that makes this time of year so powerful.

It’s a story of centuries of slavery, and years of wandering in the desert; a story of perseverance amidst persecution, and faith in God and the Torah.  It’s a story about finding freedom in your own land.  And for the Jewish people, this story is central to who you’ve become.  But it’s also a story that holds within it the universal human experience, with all of its suffering, but also all of its salvation.

It’s a part of the three great religions — Judaism, Christianity, and Islam — that trace their origins to Abraham, and see Jerusalem as sacred.  And it’s a story that’s inspired communities across the globe, including me and my fellow Americans.

In the United States — a nation made up of people who crossed oceans to start anew — we’re naturally drawn to the idea of finding freedom in our land.  To African Americans, the story of the Exodus was perhaps the central story, the most powerful image about emerging from the grip of bondage to reach for liberty and human dignity — a tale that was carried from slavery through the Civil Rights Movement into today.

For generations, this promise helped people weather poverty and persecution, while holding on to the hope that a better day was on the horizon.  For me, personally, growing up in far-flung parts of the world and without firm roots, the story spoke to a yearning within every human being for a home.

Of course, even as we draw strength from the story of God’s will and His gift of freedom expressed on Passover, we also know that here on Earth we must bear our responsibilities in an imperfect world.  That means accepting our measure of sacrifice and struggle, just like previous generations.  It means us working through generation after generation on behalf of that ideal of freedom.

As Dr. Martin Luther King said on the day before he was killed, “I may not get there with you.  But I want you to know that we, as a people, will get to the promised land.” So just as Joshua carried on after Moses, the work goes on for all of you, the Joshua Generation, for justice and dignity; for opportunity and freedom.

For the Jewish people, the journey to the promise of the State of Israel wound through countless generations.  It involved centuries of suffering and exile, prejudice and pogroms and even genocide.  Through it all, the Jewish people sustained their unique identity and traditions, as well as a longing to return home.  And while Jews achieved extraordinary success in many parts of the world, the dream of true freedom finally found its full expression in the Zionist idea — to be a free people in your homeland.  That’s why I believe that Israel is rooted not just in history and tradition, but also in a simple and profound idea — the idea that people deserve to be free in a land of their own.

Over the last 65 years, when Israel has been at its best, Israelis have demonstrated that responsibility does not end when you reach the promised land, it only begins.  And so Israel has been a refuge for the diaspora — welcoming Jews from Europe, from the former Soviet Union, from Ethiopia, from North Africa.

Israel has built a prosperous nation — through kibbutzeem that made the desert bloom, business that broadened the middle class, innovators who reached new frontiers, from the smallest microchip to the orbits of space.  Israel has established a thriving democracy, with a spirited civil society and proud political parties, and a tireless free press, and a lively public debate -– “lively” may even be an understatement.

And Israel has achieved all this even as it’s overcome relentless threats to its security — through the courage of the Israel Defense Forces, and the citizenry that is so resilient in the face of terror.

This is the story of Israel.  This is the work that has brought the dreams of so many generations to life.  And every step of the way, Israel has built unbreakable bonds of friendship with my country, the United States of America.

Those ties began only 11 minutes after Israeli independence, when the United States was the first nation to recognize the State of Israel. As President Truman said in explaining his decision to recognize Israel, he said, “I believe it has a glorious future before it not just as another sovereign nation, but as an embodiment of the great ideals of our civilization.”  And since then, we’ve built a friendship that advances our shared interests.

Together, we share a commitment to security for our citizens and the stability of the Middle East and North Africa.  Together, we share a focus on advancing economic growth around the globe, and strengthening the middle class within our own countries.  Together, we share a stake in the success of democracy.

But the source of our friendship extends beyond mere interests, just as it has transcended political parties and individual leaders.  America is a nation of immigrants.  America is strengthened by diversity.  America is enriched by faith.  We are governed not simply by men and women, but by laws.  We’re fueled by entrepreneurship and innovation, and we are defined by a democratic discourse that allows each generation to reimagine and renew our union once more.  So in Israel, we see values that we share, even as we recognize what makes us different.  That is an essential part of our bond.

Now, I stand here today mindful that for both our nations, these are some complicated times.  We have difficult issues to work through within our own countries, and we face dangers and upheaval around the world.  And when I look at young people within the United States, I think about the choices that they must make in their lives to define who we’ll be as a nation in this 21st century, particularly as we emerge from two wars and the worst recession since the Great Depression.  But part of the reason I like talking to young people is because no matter how great the challenges are, their idealism, their energy, their ambition always gives me hope.

And I see the same spirit in the young people here today. I believe that you will shape our future.  And given the ties between our countries, I believe your future is bound to ours.

No, no — this is part of the lively debate that we talked about. This is good.  You know, I have to say we actually arranged for that, because it made me feel at home. I wouldn’t feel comfortable if I didn’t have at least one heckler.

I’d like to focus on how we — and when I say “we,” in particular young people — can work together to make progress in three areas that will define our times — security, peace and prosperity.

Let me begin with security.  I’m proud that the security relationship between the United States and Israel has never been stronger.  Never. More exercises between our militaries; more exchanges among our political and military and intelligence officials than ever before; the largest program to date to help you retain your qualitative military edge.  These are the facts.  These aren’t my opinions, these are facts.  But, to me, this is not simply measured on a balance sheet.  I know that here, in Israel, security is something personal.

Here’s what I think about when I consider these issues.  When I consider Israel’s security, I think about children like Osher Twito, who I met in Sderot children the same age as my own daughters who went to bed at night fearful that a rocket would land in their bedroom simply because of who they are and where they live.

That reality is why we’ve invested in the Iron Dome system to save countless lives — because those children deserve to sleep better at night. That’s why we’ve made it clear, time and again, that Israel cannot accept rocket attacks from Gaza, and we have stood up for Israel’s right to defend itself. And that’s why Israel has a right to expect Hamas to renounce violence and recognize Israel’s right to exist.

When I think about Israel’s security, I think about five Israelis who boarded a bus in Bulgaria, who were blown up because of where they came from; robbed of the ability to live, and love, and raise families.  That’s why every country that values justice should call Hizbollah what it truly is — a terrorist organization. Because the world cannot tolerate an organization that murders innocent civilians, stockpiles rockets to shoot at cities, and supports the massacre of men and women and children in Syria right now.

The fact that Hizbollah’s ally — the Assad regime — has stockpiles of chemical weapons only heightens the urgency.  We will continue to cooperate closely to guard against that danger. I’ve made it clear to Bashar al-Assad and all who follow his orders:  We will not tolerate the use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people, or the transfer of those weapons to terrorists.  The world is watching; we will hold you accountable.

The Syrian people have the right to be freed from the grip of a dictator who would rather kill his own people than relinquish power. Assad must go so that Syria’s future can begin.  Because true stability in Syria depends upon establishing a government that is responsible to its people — one that protects all communities within its borders, while making peace with countries beyond them.

These are the things I think about when I think about Israel’s security.  When I consider Israel’s security, I also think about a people who have a living memory of the Holocaust, faced with the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iranian government that has called for Israel’s destruction.  It’s no wonder Israelis view this as an existential threat.  But this is not simply a challenge for Israel — it is a danger for the entire world, including the United States.  A nuclear-armed Iran would raise the risk of nuclear terrorism.  It would undermine the non-proliferation regime.  It would spark an arms race in a volatile region.  And it would embolden a government that has shown no respect for the rights of its own people or the responsibilities of nations.

That’s why America has built a coalition to increase the cost to Iran of failing to meet their obligations.  The Iranian government is now under more pressure than ever before, and that pressure is increasing.  It is isolated.  Its economy is in dire straits.  Its leadership is divided.  And its position — in the region, and the world — has only grown weaker.

I do believe that all of us have an interest in resolving this issue peacefully. Strong and principled diplomacy is the best way to ensure that the Iranian government forsakes nuclear weapons. Peace is far more preferable to war.  And the inevitable costs, the unintended consequences that would come with war means that we have to do everything we can to try to resolve this diplomatically.  Because of the cooperation between our governments, we know that there remains time to pursue a diplomatic resolution.  That’s what America will do, with clear eyes — working with a world that’s united, and with the sense of urgency that’s required.

But Iran must know this time is not unlimited.  And I’ve made the position of the United States of America clear:  Iran must not get a nuclear weapon.  This is not a danger that can be contained, and as President, I’ve said all options are on the table for achieving our objectives.  America will do what we must to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran.

For young Israelis, I know that these issues of security are rooted in an experience that is even more fundamental than the pressing threat of the day.  You live in a neighborhood where many of your neighbors have rejected the right of your nation to exist.  Your grandparents had to risk their lives and all that they had to make a place for themselves in this world.  Your parents lived through war after war to ensure the survival of the Jewish state.  Your children grow up knowing that people they’ve never met may hate them because of who they are, in a region that is full of turmoil and changing underneath your feet.

So that’s what I think about when Israel is faced with these challenges –- that sense of an Israel that is surrounded by many in this region who still reject it, and many in the world who refuse to accept it.  And that’s why the security of the Jewish people in Israel is so important.  It cannot be taken for granted.

But make no mistake — those who adhere to the ideology of rejecting Israel’s right to exist, they might as well reject the earth beneath them or the sky above, because Israel is not going anywhere. And today, I want to tell you — particularly the young people — so that there’s no mistake here, so long as there is a United States of America — Atem lo levad. You are not alone.

The question is what kind of future Israel will look forward to.  Israel is not going anywhere — but especially for the young people in this audience, the question is what does its future hold?  And that brings me to the subject of peace.

I know Israel has taken risks for peace.  Brave leaders — Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Rabin — reached treaties with two of your neighbors.  You made credible proposals to the Palestinians at Annapolis.  You withdrew from Gaza and Lebanon, and then faced terror and rockets.  Across the region, you’ve extended a hand of friendship and all too often you’ve been confronted with rejection and, in some cases, the ugly reality of anti-Semitism. So I believe that the Israeli people do want peace, and I also understand why too many Israelis — maybe an increasing number, maybe a lot of young people here today — are skeptical that it can be achieved.

But today, Israel is at a crossroads.  It can be tempting to put aside the frustrations and sacrifices that come with the pursuit of peace, particularly when Iron Dome repels rockets, barriers keep out suicide bombers.  There’s so many other pressing issues that demand your attention.  And I know that only Israelis can make the fundamental decisions about your country’s future. I recognize that.

I also know, by the way, that not everyone in this hall will agree with what I have to say about peace.  I recognize that there are those who are not simply skeptical about peace, but question its underlying premise, have a different vision for Israel’s future.  And that’s part of a democracy.  That’s part of the discourse between our two countries.  I recognize that.  But I also believe it’s important to be open and honest, especially with your friends.  I also believe that.

Politically, given the strong bipartisan support for Israel in America, the easiest thing for me to do would be to put this issue aside — just express unconditional support for whatever Israel decides to do — that would be the easiest political path. But I want you to know that I speak to you as a friend who is deeply concerned and committed to your future, and I ask you to consider three points.

First, peace is necessary. I believe that.  I believe that peace is the only path to true security. You have the opportunity to be the generation that permanently secures the Zionist dream, or you can face a growing challenge to its future.  Given the demographics west of the Jordan River, the only way for Israel to endure and thrive as a Jewish and democratic state is through the realization of an independent and viable Palestine.  That is true.

There are other factors involved.  Given the frustration in the international community about this conflict, Israel needs to reverse an undertow of isolation.  And given the march of technology, the only way to truly protect the Israeli people over the long term is through the absence of war.  Because no wall is high enough and no Iron Dome is strong enough or perfect enough to stop every enemy that is intent on doing so from inflicting harm.

And this truth is more pronounced given the changes sweeping the Arab world.  I understand that with the uncertainty in the region — people in the streets, changes in leadership, the rise of non-secular parties in politics — it’s tempting to turn inward, because the situation outside of Israel seems so chaotic. But this is precisely the time to respond to the wave of revolution with a resolve and commitment for peace. Because as more governments respond to popular will, the days when Israel could seek peace simply with a handful of autocratic leaders, those days are over.  Peace will have to be made among peoples, not just governments.

No one — no single step can change overnight what lies in the hearts and minds of millions.  No single step is going to erase years of history and propaganda.  But progress with the Palestinians is a powerful way to begin, while sidelining extremists who thrive on conflict and thrive on division.  It would make a difference.

So peace is necessary.  But peace is also just.  Peace is also just.  There is no question that Israel has faced Palestinian factions who turned to terror, leaders who missed historic opportunities.  That is all true.  And that’s why security must be at the center of any agreement.  And there is no question that the only path to peace is through negotiations — which is why, despite the criticism we’ve received, the United States will oppose unilateral efforts to bypass negotiations through the United Nations.  It has to be done by the parties.    But the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, their right to justice, must also be recognized.

Put yourself in their shoes.  Look at the world through their eyes.  It is not fair that a Palestinian child cannot grow up in a state of their own. Living their entire lives with the presence of a foreign army that controls the movements not just of those young people but their parents, their grandparents, every single day.  It’s not just when settler violence against Palestinians goes unpunished. It’s not right to prevent Palestinians from farming their lands; or restricting a student’s ability to move around the West Bank; or displace Palestinian families from their homes. Neither occupation nor expulsion is the answer. Just as Israelis built a state in their homeland, Palestinians have a right to be a free people in their own land.

I’m going off script here for a second, but before I came here, I met with a group of young Palestinians from the age of 15 to 22.  And talking to them, they weren’t that different from my daughters.  They weren’t that different from your daughters or sons.  I honestly believe that if any Israeli parent sat down with those kids, they’d say, I want these kids to succeed; I want them to prosper. I want them to have opportunities just like my kids do.  I believe that’s what Israeli parents would want for these kids if they had a chance to listen to them and talk to them. I believe that.

Now, only you can determine what kind of democracy you will have.  But remember that as you make these decisions, you will define not simply the future of your relationship with the Palestinians — you will define the future of Israel as well.

As Ariel Sharon said — I’m quoting him — “It is impossible to have a Jewish democratic state, at the same time to control all of Eretz Israel.  If we insist on fulfilling the dream in its entirety, we are liable to lose it all.” Or, from a different perspective, I think of what the novelist David Grossman said shortly after losing his son, as he described the necessity of peace — “A peace of no choice” he said, “must be approached with the same determination and creativity as one approaches a war of no choice.”

Now, Israel cannot be expected to negotiate with anyone who is dedicated to its destruction. But while I know you have had differences with the Palestinian Authority, I genuinely believe that you do have a true partner in President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad. I believe that.  And they have a track record to prove it.  Over the last few years, they have built institutions and maintained security on the West Bank in ways that few could have imagined just a few years ago.  So many Palestinians — including young people — have rejected violence as a means of achieving their aspirations.

There is an opportunity there, there’s a window — which brings me to my third point:  Peace is possible.  It is possible. I’m not saying it’s guaranteed.  I can’t even say that it is more likely than not.  But it is possible.  I know it doesn’t seem that way.  There are always going to be reasons to avoid risk.  There are costs for failure.  There will always be extremists who provide an excuse not to act.

I know there must be something exhausting about endless talks about talks, and daily controversies, and just the grinding status quo.  And I’m sure there’s a temptation just to say, “Ah, enough.  Let me focus on my small corner of the world and my family and my job and what I can control.”  But it’s possible.

Negotiations will be necessary, but there’s little secret about where they must lead — two states for two peoples.  Two states for two peoples.

There will be differences about how to get there.  There are going to be hard choices along the way.  Arab states must adapt to a world that has changed.  The days when they could condemn Israel to distract their people from a lack of opportunity, or government corruption or mismanagement — those days need to be over.   Now is the time for the Arab world to take steps toward normalizing relations with Israel.

Meanwhile, Palestinians must recognize that Israel will be a Jewish state and that Israelis have the right to insist upon their security. Israelis must recognize that continued settlement activity is counterproductive to the cause of peace, and that an independent Palestine must be viable with real borders that have to be drawn.

I’ve suggested principles on territory and security that I believe can be the basis for these talks.  But for the moment, put aside the plans and the process.  I ask you, instead, to think about what can be done to build trust between people.

Four years ago, I stood in Cairo in front of an audience of young people — politically, religiously, they must seem a world away.  But the things they want, they’re not so different from what the young people here want.  They want the ability to make their own decisions and to get an education, get a good job; to worship God in their own way; to get married; to raise a family. The same is true of those young Palestinians that I met with this morning.  The same is true for young Palestinians who yearn for a better life in Gaza.

That’s where peace begins — not just in the plans of leaders, but in the hearts of people.  Not just in some carefully designed process, but in the daily connections — that sense of empathy that takes place among those who live together in this land and in this sacred city of Jerusalem.

And let me say this as a politician — I can promise you this, political leaders will never take risks if the people do not push them to take some risks.  You must create the change that you want to see. Ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things.

I know this is possible.  Look to the bridges being built in business and civil society by some of you here today.  Look at the young people who’ve not yet learned a reason to mistrust, or those young people who’ve learned to overcome a legacy of mistrust that they inherited from their parents, because they simply recognize that we hold more hopes in common than fears that drive us apart.  Your voices must be louder than those who would drown out hope.  Your hopes must light the way forward.

Look to a future in which Jews and Muslims and Christians can all live in peace and greater prosperity in this Holy Land. Believe in that.  And most of all, look to the future that you want for your own children — a future in which a Jewish, democratic, vibrant state is protected and accepted for this time and for all time.

There will be many who say this change is not possible, but remember this — Israel is the most powerful country in this region.  Israel has the unshakeable support of the most powerful country in the world. Israel is not going anywhere. Israel has the wisdom to see the world as it is, but — this is in your nature — Israel also has the courage to see the world as it should be.

Ben Gurion once said, “In Israel, in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles.”  Sometimes, the greatest miracle is recognizing that the world can change.  That’s a lesson that the world has learned from the Jewish people.

And that brings me to the final area that I’ll focus on: prosperity, and Israel’s broader role in the world.  I know that all the talk about security and peace can sometimes seem to dominate the headlines, but that’s not where people live.  And every day, even amidst the threats that you face, Israelis are defining themselves by the opportunities that you’re creating.

Through talent and hard work, Israelis have put this small country at the forefront of the global economy.

Israelis understand the value of education and have produced 10 Nobel laureates. Israelis understand the power of invention, and your universities educate engineers and inventors.  And that spirit has led to economic growth and human progress — solar power and electric cars, bandages and prosthetic limbs that save lives, stem cell research and new drugs that treat disease, cell phones and computer technology that changed the way people around the world live.

So if people want to see the future of the world economy, they should look at Tel Aviv, home to hundreds of start-ups and research centers. Israelis are so active on social media that every day seemed to bring a different Facebook campaign about where I should give this speech.

That innovation is just as important to the relationship between the United States and Israel as our security cooperation. Our first free trade agreement in the world was reached with Israel, nearly three decades ago.    Today the trade between our two countries is at $40 billion every year. More importantly, that partnership is creating new products and medical treatments; it’s pushing new frontiers of science and exploration.

That’s the kind of relationship that Israel should have — and could have — with every country in the world.  Already, we see how that innovation could reshape this region.  There’s a program here in Jerusalem that brings together young Israelis and Palestinians to learn vital skills in technology and business.  An Israeli and Palestinian have started a venture capital fund to finance Palestinian start-ups.  Over 100 high-tech companies have found a home on the West Bank — which speaks to the talent and entrepreneurial spirit of the Palestinian people.

One of the great ironies of what’s happening in the broader region is that so much of what people are yearning for — education, entrepreneurship, the ability to start a business without paying a bribe, the ability to connect to the global economy — those are things that can be found here in Israel. This should be a hub for thriving regional trade, and an engine for opportunity.

Israel is already a center for innovation that helps power the global economy.  And I believe that all of that potential for prosperity can be enhanced with greater security, enhanced with lasting peace.

Here, in this small strip of land that has been the center of so much of the world’s history, so much triumph and so much tragedy, Israelis have built something that few could have imagined 65 years ago.  Tomorrow, I will pay tribute to that history — at the grave of Herzl, a man who had the foresight to see the future of the Jewish people had to be reconnected to their past; at the grave of Rabin, who understood that Israel’s victories in war had to be followed by the battles for peace; at Yad Vashem, where the world is reminded of the cloud of evil that can descend on the Jewish people and all of humanity if we ever fail to be vigilant.

We bear all that history on our shoulders.  We carry all that history in our hearts.  Today, as we face the twilight of Israel’s founding generation, you — the young people of Israel

– must now claim its future.  It falls to you to write the next chapter in the great story of this great nation.

And as the President of a country that you can count on as your greatest friend I am confident that you can help us find the promise in the days that lie ahead.  And as a man who’s been inspired in my own life by that timeless calling within the Jewish experience — tikkun olam — I am hopeful that we can draw upon what’s best in ourselves to meet the challenges that will come; to win the battles for peace in the wake of so much war; and to do the work of repairing this world. That’s your job.  That’s my job.  That’s the task of all of us.

May God bless you.  May God bless Israel.  May God bless the United States of America.  Toda raba.  Thank you.

נאום נשיא ארה”ב אובמה בפני סטודנטים בבנייני האומה

יום חמישי י’ ניסן תשע”ג

הבוקר יסייר הנשיא אובמה במוזיאון ישראל יחד עם ראש הממשלה נתניהו.

רקע על מוזיאון ישראל:

מוזיאון ישראל בירושלים הוא מוסד התרבות הגדול ביותר במדינת ישראל ונמנה עם המוזיאונים לאמנות וארכיאולוגיה המובילים בעולם.

האוסף האנציקלופדי של המוזיאון מוצג בארבעה אגפים: אגף בצלאל לאמנות, אגף ברונפמן לארכיאולוגיה, אגף מנדל לאמנות ותרבות יהודית ואגף הנוער לחינוך לאמנות.

מוזיאון ישראל נוסד בשנת 1965, ובעזרת תמיכתו של חוג פטרונים מכל רחבי העולם ותרומות רבות הצליח ב-45 שנות קיומו לבנות אוסף נרחב ומגוון ובו כחצי מיליון פריטים המשקפים את מלוא המגוון של התרבות החומרית.

בקיץ 2010, נשלם מיזם בן שלוש שנים של חידוש, שדרוג והרחבה, הגדול מסוגו בתולדותיו של המוזיאון שהתפרש על פני כל שמונים הדונמים של קריית המוזיאון.

היכל הספר והמגילות הגנוזות:

היכל הספר הוא המשכן למוצגים שהם מן החשובים ביותר במוזיאון ומן התגליות הארכיאולוגיות החשובות ביותר:  מגילות מדבר יהודה. המגילות  הן כתבי היד המקראיים העתיקים ביותר בעולם, והן  נכתבו החל במאה ה-2 לפני הספירה ועד למאה ה-1 לספירה.

את משכנן, היכל הספר, תכננו האדריכלים פרידריך קיסלר וארמנד ברטוס והבניין זכה למוניטין עולמיים בזכות עצמו. בסמיכות להיכל נמצאת אחת התוספות החדשות והמרתקות ביותר למוזיאון: דגם ירושלים בימי הבית השני, שמשחזר את אופייה הטופוגרפי והארכיטקטוני של העיר בשנת 66 לספירה.

מגילות מדבר יהודה:

המגילות, מהמאה השלישית לפני הספירה ועד למאה הראשונה לספירה, מספקות הצצה נדירה להיסטוריה היהודית ולהקשר ההיסטורי שממנו צמחה הנצרות.

המגילות מתחלקות לשלוש קבוצות עיקריות: ספרות המקרא, ספרות חיצונית וספרות כיתתית.

בין המגילות כ-200 עותקים של כל ספרי המקרא, והן העדות הקדומה ביותר בעולם לטקסטים מקראיים. המגילות השייכות לספרות הכיתתית נכתבו במגוון סגנונות ספרותיים, ובכללם פרשנות מקרא, כתבי משפט והלכה וטקסטים ליטורגיים. מן הספרים החיצוניים נתגלו חיבורים, שהיו מוכרים קודם לכן רק בתרגום, וכן חיבורים חדשים לגמרי.

מגילות מדבר יהודה נמצאו בחפירות במערות קומראן שבמדבר יהודה בשנת 1947, הן כתבי היד המקראיים העתיקים ביותר בעולם ורואים בהן את הנכס התרבותי החשוב ביותר שבידי מדינת ישראל. גילוין של המגילות שימש נקודת מפנה בחקר תולדותיו של העם היהודי בעת העתיקה ושפך אור על אוצר בלום של ספרות המקרא.

תערוכת הטכנולוגיה המיוחדת: “ISRAEL TECHNOLOGY FOR A BETTER WORLD” – “הטכנולוגיה הישראלית לעולם טוב יותר”

ראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו יציג לנשיא ארצות-הברית ברק אובמה שורת פיתוחים טכנולוגיים של תעשיית ההיי-טק הישראלית במסגרת תערוכה מיוחדת שתוקם לכבוד ביקורו של הנשיא האמריקני.

בביקור צפוי ראש הממשלה לציין בפני הנשיא כי ישראל דורגה לאחרונה במקום הראשון בעולם בתחום מחקר ופיתוח מבין 200 מדינות חדשניות בעולם (דו”ח בלומברג מפברואר 2013).

בתערוכה יציג ראש הממשלה נתניהו לנשיא ארה”ב אובמה שבעה פיתוחים שנבחרו על ידי ועדה מקצועית בראשות ראש המועצה הלאומית לכלכלה במשרד ראש הממשלה, פרופ’ יוג’ין קנדל. בוועדה היו חברים גם מנכ”ל משרד המדע מנחם גרינבלום, המדען הראשי במשרד התמ”ת ד”ר אבי חסון ור’ מערך התקשורת והדוברות במשרד רה”מ רפי שמיר.

הפיתוחים נבחרו מבין כלל ההצעות שהגישו האוניברסיטאות בישראל בהתאם למידת החדשנות שבהן, ההשפעה שלהן על האנושות ויכולת ההצגה שלהן. הפיתוחים שנבחרו הם בתחומי תחליפי האנרגיה, מאבק בתאונות דרכים, רפואה, חילוץ והצלה, ורובוטיקה.  את המלצותיה הגישה הוועדה לראש לשכת ראש הממשלה, גיל שפר.

Dinner at the Prime Minister’s Residence

Source: PMO, 3-20-13

יום רביעי ט’ ניסן תשע”ג

Chef Shalom Kadosh has been chosen to prepare the dinner that will be held for US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the latter’s Jerusalem residence next week. Chef Kadosh has previously cooked for presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

The items on the menu will be prepared from Israeli products.

Menu:

First course

Ravioli filled with comfit of Jerusalem artichokes; filet of red mullet tossed with green soybeans

Pink grapefruit and pomegranate sorbet to refresh the palate

Main course

Roast fillet of beef in aromatic spices with a selection of spring vegetables

Dessert

Apple crumble mixed with red fruits; Gewurztraminer zabaglione with citrus honey Fig and date

petits

fours with caramelized green almonds; coffee/tea.

US President Obama’s Felicitations in the Guestbook at PM Netanyahu’s Residence

Source: PMO, 3-20-13

יום רביעי ט’ ניסן תשע”ג

Photo by GPO

Following is the entry that US President Barack Obama wrote in the guestbook at President Shimon Peres’ Residence:

“It is a great honour to reaffirm the extraordinary bonds between our two countries. By every measure, from security to our economy, our cooperation has never been greater and this in part is because of the strong commitment of Prime Minister Netanyahu. May our bonds continue to grow.

On behalf of our people and prosperity for all people.”

נוסח הברכה שכתב הנשיא אובמה בספר האורחים במעון ראש הממשלה

יום רביעי ט’ ניסן תשע”ג

צילום: לע”מ

הנוסח בשפה העברית:

לכבוד לי לאשר מחדש את הקשרים היחודיים בין שתי מדינותינו. בכל מובן, מביטחון ועד הכלכלה שלנו, שיתוף הפעולה שלנו מעולם לא היה חזק יותר וזאת, בין היתר, הודות למחויבות העמוקה של ראש הממשלה נתניהו.

מי יתן והקשרים שלנו ימשיכו לצמוח, בשם העמים שלנו ולמען שגשוג וכל עמי העולם.

Gifts that the Prime Minister’s Wife will Give to the Obama Family

Source: PMO, 3-19-13

יום שלישי ח’ ניסן תשע”ג

After hundreds of suggestions were received on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Facebook page, Sara Netanyahu has chosen the gifts that she will give to US First Lady Michelle Obama, to Sasha and Malia Obama and even to the presidential dog Bo.

Ms. Netanyahu will give Michelle Obama a silver Passover seder plate that could be used at the traditional Passover seder that is held at the White House annually. To Sasha and Malia Obama, Ms. Netanyahu will give chains with silver medallions in the form of David’s harp set with Roman glass. Ms. Netanyahu will give Bo a rubber hamburger toy.

Additionally, singer Idan Raichel has been chosen to appear at the dinner that Prime Minister and Sara Netanyahu will host in honor of US President Barack Obama at their residence tomorrow evening, Wednesday, 20 March 2013. Raichel will appear with several members of the Idan Raichel Project, including Maya Avraham and Kabra Kasai. They will sing “Mima’amakim” and “Min Nhar Li Mshiti”, and play an instrumental selection

Press Conference with PM Netanyahu and US President Obama at the PM’s Residence

Source: PMO, 3-20-13

יום רביעי ט’ ניסן תשע”ג

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Photo by GPO      Click Here to Enlarge Picture

Photo by GPO

Transcription

Press Conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and United States President Barack Obama at the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem

Prime Minister Netanyahu:  Mr. President, Barack, it’s a great pleasure for me to host you here in Jerusalem. You’ve graciously hosted me many times in Washington, so I’m very pleased to have this opportunity to reciprocate. I hope that the good will and warmth of the people of Israel has already made you feel at home.

President Obama:  Very much so.

PM:  We had an opportunity today to begin discussing the wide range of issues that are critical to both our countries, and foremost among these is Iran’s relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Mr. President, you have made it clear that you are determined to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. I appreciate your forthright position on this point. I also appreciate that you have noted, that you have acted, to thwart this threat, both through determined diplomacy and strong sanctions that are getting stronger yet.

Notwithstanding our joint efforts and your great success in mobilizing the international community, diplomacy and sanctions so far have not stopped Iran’s nuclear program. And as you know, my view is that in order to stop Iran’s nuclear programs peacefully, diplomacy and sanctions must be augmented by a clear and credible threat of military action.

In this regard, Mr. President, I want to thank you once again for always making clear that Israel must be able to defend itself by itself against any threat. I deeply appreciate those words because they speak to the great transformation that has occurred in the life of the Jewish people with the rebirth of the Jewish state. The Jewish people only two generations ago were once a powerless people, defenseless against those who sought our destruction. Today we have both the right and the capability to defend ourselves. As you said earlier today, the essence of the State of Israel, the essence of the rebirth of the Jewish state, is the fulfillment of the age-old dream of the Jewish people: to be masters of our fate in our own state, and I think that was a wonderful line that I will cherish, because it really gets down to the essence of what this state is about.

That is why I know that you appreciate that Israel can never cede the right to defend ourselves to others, even to the greatest of our friends, and Israel has no better friend than the United States of America.

So I look forward to continue to work with you to address what is an existential threat to Israel, and a great threat to the peace and security of the world.

Mr. President, we discussed today the situation in Syria. We share the goal of seeing a stable and peaceful Syria emerge from the carnage that we have witnessed over the last two years. That carnage has already resulted in the deaths of over 70,000 people and the suffering of millions. We also share a determination to prevent the deadly arsenal of weapons within Syria from falling into the hands of terrorists. And I have no doubt that the best way to do that is to work closely with the United States and other countries in the region to address this challenge; and that is what we intend to do.

Finally, Mr. President, your visit gave us an opportunity to try to find a way to advance peace between Israelis and Palestinians. My new government was sworn in two days ago. I know there have been questions regarding what the policy of the new government will be towards peace with the Palestinians. So let me be clear: Israel remains fully committed to peace and to the solution of two states for two peoples. We extend our hands in peace and in friendship to the Palestinian people. I hope that your visit, along with the visit of Secretary of State Kerry will help us turn a page in our relations with the Palestinians. Let us sit down at the negotiating table. Let us put aside all preconditions. Let us work together to achieve the historic compromise that will end our conflict once and for all.

Let me conclude, Mr. President, on a personal note: I know how valuable the time and the energies of the American president, of yourself. This is the tenth time that we have met since you became President and since I became Prime Minister. You’ve chosen Israel as your first venue in your foreign visits in your second term. I want to thank you for the investment you have made in our relationship, and in strengthening the friendship and alliance between our two countries. It is deeply, deeply appreciated.

You have come here on the eve of Passover. I’ve always considered it as our most cherished holiday. It celebrates the Jewish people’s passage from slavery to freedom. Through the ages, it has also inspired people struggling for freedom, including the founding fathers of the United States. So it’s a profound honor to host you, the leader of the free world, at this historic time in our ancient capital.

Mr. President, welcome to Israel, welcome to Jerusalem.

President Obama:  Well, thank you Prime Minister Netanyahu for your kind words and for your wonderful welcome here today. And I want to express a special thanks to Sara, as well as your two sons, for their warmth and hospitality. It was wonderful to see them. I did inform the Prime Minister that they are very good looking young men who clearly got their looks from their mother.

PM:  Well, I could say the same of your daughters.

Pres.:  This is true. Our goal is to improve our gene pool by marrying women who are better than we are.

Mr. Prime Minister, I want to begin by congratulating you on the formation of your new government. In the United States, we work hard to find agreement between our two major parties. Here in Israel you have to find consensus among many more. And few legislatures can compete with the intensity of the Knesset. But all of this reflects the thriving nature of Israel’s democracy.

As Bibi mentioned, this is our tenth meeting. We have spent more time together, working together, than I have with any leader. And this speaks to the closeness of our two nations, the interests and the values that we share and the depth and breadth of the ties between our two peoples.

As leaders, our most solemn responsibility is the security of our people. That’s job number one. My job as President of the United States, first and foremost, is to keep the American people safe. Bibi, as Prime Minister, your first task is to keep the people of Israel safe. And Israel’s security needs are truly unique, as I’ve seen myself.

In past trips I’ve visited villages near the Blue Line; I’ve walked through Israeli homes devastated by Hezbollah rockets; I’ve stood in Sderot and met with children who simply want to grow up free from fear; and flying in today, I saw again how Israel’s security can be measured in mere miles and minutes.

As President, I have therefore made it clear America’s commitment to the security of the State of Israel is a solemn obligation, and the security of Israel is non-negotiable. Today our military and intelligence personnel cooperate more closely than ever before; we conduct more joint exercises and training than ever before; we’re providing more security assistance and advanced technology to Israel than ever before. That includes more support for the missile defenses, like Iron Dome, which I saw today and which has saved so many Israeli lives.

In short, and I don’t think this is just my opinion, I think, Bibi you would share this, America’s support for Israel’s security is unprecedented and the alliance between our nations has never been stronger. That’s the sturdy foundation we built on today as we addressed a range of shared challenges.

As part of our long-term commitment to Israel’s security, the Prime Minister and I agreed to begin discussions on extending military assistance to Israel. Our current agreement lasts through 2017, and we’ve directed our teams to start working on extending it for the years beyond.

I’m also pleased to announce that we will take steps to ensure that there is no interruption of funding for Iron Dome. As a result of decisions that I made last year, Israel will receive approximately 200 million dollars this fiscal year, and we will continue to work with Congress on future funding of Iron Dome. These are further reminders that we will help to preserve Israel’s qualitative military edge so that Israel can defend itself by itself against any threat.

We also discussed the way forward to a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians, and I very much welcomed Bibi’s words before I spoke. I’ll be meeting with President Abbas tomorrow, and I will have more to say on this topic in the speech that I deliver to the Israeli people tomorrow. But for now, let me just reiterate that a central element of a lasting peace must be a strong and secure Jewish state, where Israel’s security concerns are met, alongside a sovereign and independent Palestinian state.

In this regard, I’d note that last year was a milestone: the first year in four decades when not a single Israeli citizen lost their life because of terrorism emanating from the West Bank. It’s a reminder that Israel has a profound interest in a strong and effective Palestinian Authority. And as the Prime Minister’s new government begins its work, we’ll continue to look for steps that both Palestinians and Israelis can take to build trust and confidence upon which lasting peace will depend.

We also reaffirm the importance of ensuring Israel’s security given the changes and uncertainty in the region. As the United States supports the Egyptian people and their historic transition to democracy, we continue to underscore the necessity of Egypt contributing to regional security: preventing Hamas from rearming and upholding its peace treaty with Israel.

With respect to Syria, the United States continues to work with allies and friends and the Syrian opposition to hasten the end of Assad’s rule, to stop the violence against the Syrian people, and begin a transition towards a new government that respects the rights of all its people. Assad has lost his legitimacy to lead by attacking the Syrian people with almost every conventional weapon in his arsenal, including Scud missiles.

We have been clear that the use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people would be a serious and tragic mistake. We also share Israel’s grave concern about the transfer of chemical or other weapons systems to terrorists, such as Hezbollah, that might be used against Israel. The Assad regime must understand that they will be held accountable for the use of chemical weapons or their transfer to terrorists.

And finally we continued our close consultation on Iran. We agree that a nuclear armed Iran would be a threat to the region, a threat to the world and potentially an existential threat to Israel. We agree on our goal. We do not have a policy of containment when it comes to a nuclear Iran. Our policy is to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. We prefer to resolve this diplomatically, and there is still time to do so. Iran’s leaders must understand however that they have to meet their international obligations. And meanwhile, the international community will continue to increase the pressure on the Iranian government. The United States will continue to consult closely with Israel on next steps, and I will repeat: all options are on the table; we will do what is necessary from prevent Iran from getting the world’s worst weapons.

Meeting none of these challenges will be easy. It will demand the same courage and resolve as those who have preceded us. On Friday I’ll be honored to visit Mount Herzl and pay tribute to the leaders and soldiers who have laid down their lives for Israel. One of them was Yoni Netanyahu. In one of his letters home, he wrote to his family, “Don’t forget: strength, justice and staunch resolution are on our side and that is a great deal”.

Mr. Prime Minister, like families across Israel, you and your family have served and sacrificed to defend your country and to pass it safe and strong to your children, just as it was passed on to you. Standing here today I can say with confidence that Israel’s security is guaranteed because it has a great deal on its side, including the unwavering support of the United States of America.

Mark Regev:  First question, Israel Channel Two, Udi Segal.

Udi Segal:  Mr. President, may I ask you about Syria?  A practical question and a moral one. Morally, how is it possible that for the last two years, tens of thousands of innocent civilians are being massacred, and no one – the world, the United States and you – are doing anything to stop it, immediately. On a practical level, you have said today and also in the past that the use of chemical weapons would be a crossing of a red line. It seems that this line was crossed yesterday. What specifically do you intend to do about it?

Pres.: I’ll answer the question in reverse order, if you don’t mind. I’ll talk about the chemical weapons first, and then the larger question. With respect to chemical weapons, we intend to investigate thoroughly exactly what happened. Obviously in Syria right now, you’ve got a war zone. You have information that’s filtered out, but we have to make sure that we know exactly what happened, what was the nature of the incident, what can we document, what can we prove. So I’ve instructed my teams to work closely with all other countries in the region and international organizations and institutions to find out precisely whether or not this red line was crossed.

I will note, without at this point having all the facts before me, that we know the Syrian government has the capacity to carry out chemical weapon attacks; we know that there are those in the Syrian government who expressed a willingness to use chemical weapons if necessary to protect themselves. I am deeply skeptical of any claim that, in fact, it was the opposition that used chemical weapons. Everybody who knows the facts of the chemical weapon stockpiles inside of Syria, as well as the Syrian government’s capabilities, I think would question those claims, but I know that they’re floating out there right now.

The broader point is that once we establish the facts, I have made clear that the use of chemical weapons is a game changer, and I won’t make an announcement today about next steps because I think we have to gather the facts. But I do think that, when you start seeing weapons that can cause potential devastation and mass casualties and you let that genie out of the bottle, then you are looking potentially at even more horrific scenes then we’ve already seen in Syria, and the international community has to act on that additional information. But, as is always the case when it comes to issues of war and peace, I think having the facts before you act is very important.

More broadly, as I said in my opening statement, I believe that the Assad regime has lost all credibility and legitimacy, and I think Assad must go and I believe he will go. It is incorrect for you to say that we have done nothing. We have helped to mobilize the isolation of the Assad regime internationally; we have supported and recognized the opposition; we have provided hundreds of millions of dollars in support for humanitarian aid; we have worked diligently with other countries in the region to provide additional tools to move towards a political transition within Syria.

If your suggestion is that I have not acted unilaterally militarily inside of Syria, well, the response has been or my response would be that, to the extent possible, I want to make sure that we’re working as an international community to deal with this problem because I think it’s a world problem, not simply a United States problem or an Israel problem or a Turkish problem. It’s a world problem when tens of thousands of people are being slaughtered, including innocent women and children. And so we will continue to work in an international framework to try to bring about the kind of change that’s necessary in Syria. Secretary Kerry has been working nonstop since he came into his current position to try to help mobilize and organize our overall efforts and we will continue to push every lever that we have to try to bring about a resolution inside of Syria that respects the rights and the safety and security of all people, regardless of whatever sectarian lines currently divide Syria.

The last point I’ll make, which is probably obvious, is this is not easy. When you start seeing a civil war that has sectarian elements to it and you’ve got a repressive government that is intent on maintaining power and you have mistrust that has broken out along sectarian lines and you have an opposition that has not had the opportunity or time to organize itself both politically as well as militarily, then you end up seeing some of the devastation that you’ve been seeing. And we’re going to do everything we can to continue to prevent it, and I know that the vast majority of our international partners feel the same way.

White House Press Secretary:   From the White House Press Corps, Matt Spetalnick of Reuters.

Matt Spetalnick:  Yes, thank you. There was some friendly banter between you two gentlemen on the tarmac today about red lines, and I’m wondering how much of a serious matter that actually became in your talks, and will be in your talks to come tonight?  President Obama has said it will take Iran at least a year to build a bomb. That’s months longer than the Prime Minister believes. Mr. President, are you asking the Prime Minister to be more patient, to hold off for at least a year on any kind of military action against Iran?  Mr. Prime Minister, has President Obama’s words, have they convinced you that he is putting forth the credible military threat that you have repeatedly asked for or does he need to go further?

Pres.:  Bibi, why don’t you go?  Take the first swing at this.

PM:  Well, first of all, there are so many strips of different colors on the tarmac that we did have a joke about that, but obviously this matter is no joke. It relates to our very existence and to something also that the President correctly identified as a grave, strategic threat to the United States and to the peace and security of the world. I’m absolutely convinced that the President is determined to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons. I appreciate that. And I also appreciate something that he said, which I mentioned in my opening remarks: that the Jewish people have come back to their own country to be the masters of their own fate. And I appreciate the fact that the President has reaffirmed, more than any other President, Israel’s right and duty to defend itself by itself against any threat.

We just heard those important words now, and I think that sums up our, I would say our common view: Iran is a grave threat to Israel, a grave threat to the world – a nuclear Iran. The United States is committed to deal with it. Israel is committed to deal with it. We have different vulnerabilities, obviously, and different capabilities. We take that into account, but what we do maintain, and the President, I think, is the first to do so, is that Israel has a right to independently defend itself against any threat, including the Iranian threat.

Pres.:  I think the only thing I would add is that our intelligence cooperation on this issue, the consultation between our militaries, our intelligence, is unprecedented, and there is not a lot of daylight between our countries’ assessments in terms of where Iran is right now. I think that what Bibi alluded to, which is absolutely correct, is each country has to make its own decisions when it comes to the awesome decision to engage in any kind of military action, and Israel is differently situated than the United States. And I would not expect that the Prime Minister would make a decision about his country’s security and defer that to any other country, any more than the United States would defer our decisions about what was important for our national security.

I have shared with Bibi, as I’ve said to the entire world, as I’ve said to the Iranian people and Iranian leaders, that I think there is time to resolve this issue diplomatically. The question is: will Iranian leadership seize that opportunity? Will they walk through that door?  And it would be in everybody’s interests, not just Israel’s interests, not just the United States’ interests – it would be in the interests of the Iranian people if this gets resolved diplomatically. Because the truth of the matter is that the most permanent solution to the Iranian situation is ultimately going to be their decision that it is not worth it for them to pursue nuclear weapons. That’ll be the lasting change. If we can get that, that’s good for everybody, including Iran, because it would allow them to break out of the isolation that has hampered their society and their economic development for many years.

But I don’t know whether they’re going to be willing to take that step, and obviously their past behavior indicates that, in a play on words on what Ronald Reagan said: we can’t even trust yet, much less verify. But we do have to test the proposition that this can be resolved diplomatically, and if it can’t, then I’ve repeated to Bibi what I’ve said publicly, and that is that we will leave all options on the table in resolving it.

Mark Regev:  From Channel One Israel, Ayala Hasson.

Ayala Hasson:  Thank you. Welcome, Mr. President. On your way back to Washington on Friday, what will you consider a successful visit?  Convincing the Israeli leaders that they can rely on you on the Iranian issue, especially that I learned that there are differences between Israel and the United States concerning the enrichment of the uranium?  Or convincing both sides, Israelis and Palestinians, to revive the floundering negotiations, reviving the floundering peace process?

Pres.:  Well, my main goal on this trip has been to have an opportunity to speak directly to the Israeli people at a time when, obviously, what was already a pretty tough neighborhood has gotten tougher, and let them know that they’ve got a friend in the United States, that we have your back, that we consider Israel’s security of extraordinary importance to us, not just because of the bonds between our peoples, but also because of our own national security interests. In that context, what I have also sought to achieve here is further consultations, building on what we’ve already discussed – as Bibi has just formed a new government, as I am entering my second term – that we continue to have close consultation around some of these shared interests that we’ve already discussed, Iran being obviously a prominent shared concern.

I want to make sure that the Israeli people and the Israeli government consistently understand my thinking and how I’m approaching this problem. And I want to understand how the Israeli government and the Prime Minister is approaching these problems – to make sure that there are no misunderstandings there.

With respect to the peace process, as I said, I’ll have more to say about this tomorrow, but I think you are absolutely right that over the last year, year and a half, two years, two and a half years, we haven’t gone forward. We haven’t seen the kind of progress that we would like to see. There are some elements of good news. I mean, the fact of the matter is that even with all that’s been happening in the region, the Palestinian Authority has worked effectively in cooperation with the international community, in part because of some of the training that we the United States provided, to do its part in maintaining security in the West Bank. We have seen some progress when it comes to economic development and opportunity for the Palestinian people. But the truth of the matter is, trying to bring this to some sort of clear settlement, a solution that would allow Israelis to feel as if they’ve broken out of the current isolation that they’re in in this region, that would allow the incredible economic growth that’s taking place inside this country to be a model for trade and commerce and development throughout the region at a time when all these other countries need technology and commerce and jobs for their young people; for Palestinians to feel a sense that they too are masters of their own fate; for Israel to feel that the possibilities of rockets raining down on their families has diminished.

That kind of solution we have not yet seen, and so what I want to do is listen, hear from Prime Minister Netanyahu. Tomorrow I’ll have a chance to hear from Abu Mazen. To get a sense from them, how do they see this process moving forward?  What are the possibilities and what are the constraints, and how can the United States be helpful?  And I purposely did not want to come here and make some big announcement that might not match up with what the reality is and possibilities on the ground are. I wanted to spend some time listening before I talked, which my mother always taught me was a good idea. And so hopefully, I’ll consider the success if when I go back on Friday, I’m able to say to myself: I have a better understanding of what the constraints are, what the interests of the various parties are, and how the United States can play a constructive role in bringing about a lasting peace and two states living side by side in peace and security.

Thank you.

White House Press Secretary:  Chuck Todd, from NBC.

Chuck Todd:  Thank you, Mr. President, Mr. Prime Minister. Mr. President, I want to follow up a little bit on the peace process. You began your first term, big fanfare, the Cairo speech to talk to the Muslim world, the decision to have a Middle East Envoy early. You said you weren’t going to let this slip to your second term. We’re in your second term with the Mideast peace process. What went wrong?  Why are we further away from a two state solution?   I know you said you want to talk more about this tomorrow, by I am curious: what do you believe went wrong?  Did you push Israel too hard?  What do you wish you would have done differently?

And Mr. Prime Minister, I want to help out my colleague over here, and the follow up that he had which had to do with: do you accept the President’s understanding that Iran is a year away when it comes to nuclear weapons?  And then another question I had for you is why do you…?

Pres.:  Chuck, how many… yeah. Do you guys do this in the Israeli press?  You say you get one question, and then you add like five?

Todd:  Well, I’m helping him.  I’m helping him with his follow up.

Pres.:  You see how the young lady from Channel One, she had one question. She was very well-behaved, Chuck.

Todd:  I’ve got one for you, and…

PM:  These are Talmudic questions. They have reiterations, yeah.

Todd:  Apparently. I thought I had four questions. Passover starts in a couple of days; I get four questions, right?

PM:  Look, this is not a kosher question, but don’t hog it.

Todd:  I guess my question to you was going to be: why do believe the Israeli people have not embraced President Obama the same way they embraced our last two U.S. presidents?  Thank you.

Pres.:  So you had to get a polling question in there right in the end, huh?  Chuck, I mean, you’re just incorrigible.

Well, look, the opening premise to your question was that, having failed to achieve peace in the Middle East in my first term, that I must have screwed up somehow. And I will tell you, I hope I’m a better president now than when I first came into office, but my commitment was not to achieve a peace deal in my first year, or in my second year, or my third year. That would have been nice. What I said was I was not going to wait to start on the issue until my second term because I thought it was too important. And that’s exactly what I did.

I’m absolutely sure that there are a host of things that I could have done that would have been more deft and would have created better optics, but ultimately this is a really hard problem. It’s been lingering for over six decades, and the parties involved have some profound interests that you can’t spin, you can’t smooth over, and it is a hard slog to work through all of these issues.

I will add that both parties also have politics just like we do back home. There are a whole bunch of things that I’d like to do back in the United States that I didn’t get done in my first term. And I’m sure I could have been more deft there as well, but some of it’s just because it’s hard, and people disagree and it takes, I think, a confluence of both good diplomatic work, but also timing, serendipity, things falling into place at the right time, the right players feeling that this is the moment to seize it. And my goal here is just to make sure that the United States is a positive force in trying to create those opportunities as frequently as possible, and to be as clear as possible as to why we think that this is an important priority. Not only because of some Pollyannaish views about, “Can’t we all get along and hold hands and sing ‘Kumbaya’”, but because I actually believe that Israel’s security will be enhanced with a resolution to this issue. I believe that Palestinians will prosper and can channel their extraordinary energies and entrepreneurship in more positive ways with a resolution to this issue. The entire region, I think, will be healthier with a resolution to this issue.

So I’m going to keep on making that argument, and I will admit that, frankly, sometimes it would be easier not to make the argument and to avoid the question precisely because it’s hard. That’s not the approach that I’ve tried to take, and there have probably been times where, when I’ve made statements about what I think needs to happen, the way it gets filtered through our press, it may be interpreted in ways that get Israelis nervous, just like there are folks back home who sometimes get nervous about areas where they aren’t sure exactly where I stand on things. That’s why I always like the opportunity to talk directly to you guys. Hopefully, you’ll show the live film as opposed to the edited version.

With that, I think you’ve got four questions to answer, Bibi.

PM:  I think that there’s a misunderstanding about time. If Iran decides to go for a nuclear weapon, that is to actually manufacture the weapon, then it probably will take them about a year. I think that’s correct. They could defer that a long time but still get through the enrichment process. That is, to make a weapon you need two things: you need enriched uranium of a critical amount; and then you need a weapon. You can’t have the weapon without the enriched uranium, but you can have the enriched uranium without the weapon.

Iran, right now, is enriching uranium. It’s pursuing it. It hasn’t yet reached the red line that I had described in my speech at the UN. They’re getting closer though. The question of manufacturing the weapon is a different thing. The President said correctly that we have, on these issues that are a little arcane, they sound a little detailed to you, but on these matters, we share information and we have a common assessment.  We have a common assessment.

In any case, Iran gets to an immunity zone when they get through the enrichment process, in our view. Whatever time is left, there’s not a lot of time. And every day that passes, diminishes it. But we do have a common assessment on these schedules, on intelligence. We share that intelligence and we don’t have any argument about it. I think it’s important to state that clearly.

I think that people should get to know President Obama the way I’ve gotten to know him, and I think you’ve just heard something that is very meaningful. It may have escaped you but it hasn’t escaped me, and that is the President announced that, in addition to all the aid that his Administration has provided, including Iron Dome, including defense funding for Israel during very difficult times, he has announced that we are going to begin talks on another ten-year process arrangement to ensure American military assistance to Israel.

I think this is very significant. And I want to express my thanks for everything that you have done and I want to thank you also for that statement you just made. I think it’s very, very important.

So I think Israelis will judge this by the unfolding events and by what is happening, what is actually taking place. And for this, you know, there’s a very simple answer to your question – the gentleman from NBC, right?

For this you need, you see, a second term as President and a third term as Prime Minister. That really fixes things.

Pres.: All right. Thank you very much everybody

מסיבת עיתונאים של ראש הממשלה נתניהו עם נשיא ארה”ב אובמה

הפגישה עם נשיא המדינה שמעון פרס

יום רביעי ט’ ניסן תשע”ג

נשיא המדינה שמעון פרס יקבל את נשיא ארה”ב ברק אובמה ברחבת הטקסים הרשמית של בית הנשיא בטקס אזרחי חגיגי, בהשתתפות נציגות של ילדי ישראל אשר יקבלו את הנשיא האמריקני בדגלי ישראל וארצות הברית. שני הנשיאים יצעדו יחד אל אולם בית הנשיא, שם יחתום הנשיא אובמה על ספר האורחים הרשמי. על במת הכבוד יחכו לשני הנשיאים שלושה נציגי ילדי ישראל: ילד מיישובי עוטף עזה שהתמודד עם אימת הטילים והטרור ויודה לנשיא על תמיכתה של ארצות הברית בפרויקט “כיפת ברזל”. נערה המשתתפת בתוכנית המדעים על שם אילן רמון ז”ל, האסטרונאוט הישראלי הראשון, שתייצג את שאיפתה של ישראל לקידום המחקר, המדע והשלום בעולם ונערה ערביה תושבת יפו אשר תקדיש את השיר “מחר”, שיבוצע באנגלית, עברית וערבית.

מיד בתום הטקס תיערך פגישה מדינית מצומצמת בין שני הנשיאים בטרקלין הפגישות המדיניות בבית הנשיא. בפגישה המדינית ידונו בדרכים למנוע מאיראן המשך התחמשות בנשק גרעיני, הפסקת שפיכות הדמים בסוריה, הדרכים לקידום המשא ומתן והמשך תהליך השלום מול הפלסטינים וחיזוק היחסים האסטרטגיים בין מדינת ישראל לארצות הברית.

נשיא ארצות הברית ברק אובמה נחת בישראל

Arrival of US President Barack Obama in Israel

Source: PMO, 3-20-13

יום רביעי ט’ ניסן תשע”ג

Air Force One

President Obama will arrive on Air Force One.  Technically, Air Force One is the call sign of any Air Force aircraft carrying the President. In practice, however, Air Force One is used to refer to one of two highly customized Boeing 747-200B series aircraft. Capable of refueling midair, Air Force One has unlimited range and can carry the President wherever he needs to travel. Inside, the President and his travel companions enjoy 4,000 square feet of floor space on three levels, including an extensive suite for the President that features a large office, lavatory, and conference room. Air Force One includes a medical suite that can function as an operating room, and a doctor is permanently on board.

Marine One

President Obama will fly to Jerusalem in Marine One. While Marine One is the call sign of any United States Marine Corps aircraft carrying the President of the United States, it usually denotes a helicopter, either the large VH-3D Sea King or the newer, smaller VH-60N “WhiteHawk”. The presidential helicopter squadron includes various helicopters for use by the President and the White House staff when Air Force One is either not necessary or is ill-suited to the task at hand.

Ben-Gurion International Airport

US President Barack Obama will land at Ben-Gurion International Airport. BGI Airport is the largest international airport in Israel and serves as its main aerial gateway. The airport is named after Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion. It was originally built by the British in the 1930’s during the British Mandate. Even as the Airports Authority and the airport itself prepare for the US President’s visit, approximately 1,017,166 passengers and around 6,500 planes are expected to pass through the airport during the month in which Passover falls, between 12 March and 10 April 2013.

Ben-Gurion International Airport Welcoming Ceremony

US President Barack Obama’s honor guard will include soldiers from the ground forces, navy and air force of the IDF: 22 naval cadets, 22 Air Force pilot cadets, 22 ground forces officer cadets, 22 women from the Military Police and flag-bearers who will carry the following flags: The national flag, the IDF flag, the ground forces flag, the air force flag, the navy flag, the intelligence corps flag, the personnel branch flag, the technology and logistics branch flag, the signal corps flag, the central command flag, the northern command flag, the southern command flag and the home front command flag. Lt.-Col. Oded Nahari, the head of the Ceremonies Dept. at the IDF Personnel Branch, will command the honor guard. The honor guard will be accompanied by the IDF orchestra, staffed by approximately 50 soldiers in compulsory service, which will play the Israeli and US national anthems. President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will greet President Obama.

Following the ceremony, President Obama will inspect a presentation of the State of Israel’s multi-layer defense system composed of Iron Dome, Magic Wand, Arrow 2 and Arrow 3.

Presentation of the Multi-Layer Defense System

In the past decade, over 10,000 missiles and rockets have been fired into Israeli territory, over 4,000 of them during the Second Lebanon War and approximately 2,000 from Gaza in 2012.

The State of israel’s multi-layer defense system is composed of the following four defensive layers:

* Iron Dome, which is the only operational system of its kind in the world for intercepting short-range rockets, constitutes the first layer of defense.

* Magic Wand, which is currently under development, will provide a response to short- and intermediate-range missiles and rockets and – in the future – against cruise missiles as well.

* Arrow 2, which became the world’s first operational system in the early 2000’s, is designed to provide a response to long-range missiles such as those possessed by Iran. The Arrow system has been substantially upgraded in recent years and was tested last year with great success in the AC12 exercise with American forces.

* Arrow 3, which is currently under development, is designed to strengthen the layer of defense against long-range missiles such as those possessed by Iran.

Iron Dome

Status: Operational Iron Dome, which was developed by the State of Israel, is the first and only operational system of its kind in the world for intercepting short-range rockets.

* Intercept data and success rate: Since becoming operational in 2011 (following three years of development) and up until today, the system has successfully intercepted over 350 rockets that have been fired at Israel. Each of the 350 rockets that has been intercepted by Iron Dome until today was due to hit populated areas and cause substantial damage and loss of life.

* Iron Dome has proven its ability to save lives among the millions of residents in southern and central Israel and to prevent severe damage. The system also creates deterrence and increases the political echelon’s ability to maneuver.

* The Iron Dome project, which includes many technological breakthroughs, was completed very quickly and set a record for development time (from the initiative and concept stages through the realization) and low cost, which were unprecedented for a project of such magnitude.

Magic Wand

Status: Under development

Magic Wand is designed to provide the State of Israel with an additional layer of defense against short- and intermediate-range missiles and thus reinforce its protection against the threat of missiles and rockets. Magic Wand will provide a response to the threat of short- and intermediate-range missiles and rockets and, in the future, against cruise missiles as well.

* The development of Magic Wand began in 2006 as a joint project of the Defense Ministry Research and Development Directorate, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and the US Defense Dept. Missile Defense Agency.

* A preliminary series of development tests was recently completed for Magic Wand, including a successful intercept. Data from the tests will assist in the continued development of Magic Wand, as well as the continuation of the necessary development tests until the system becomes operational.

Arrow 2

Status: Operational Arrow 2 was declared operational in 2002 and has been part of the Air Force’s air defense network ever since.

* Arrow 2, which was developed by the Defense Ministry Research and Development Directorate and the US Defense Dept. Missile Defense Agency, is designed to provide a top layer of defense against long-range ballistic missiles.

* Since becoming operational, Arrow 2 has undergone a series of improvements. The latest of these was successfully tested and was integrated into the system during 2012.

Arrow 3

Status: Under development

Arrow 3 is designed to provide an additional top layer of defense against missiles. It will add interception opportunities to the Arrow 2 and thus reinforce the State of Israel’s defenses against the threat of long-range missiles.

* Arrow 3 is considered an innovative and revolutionary system. Its capabilities will allow the existing components of Arrow 2, which are already operational, to deal more efficiently with future threats against the State of Israel.

* In recent weeks, the Arrow 3 interceptor was successfully tested in flight (five years after the start of development). The successful test constitutes an important milestone in the operational ability of the State of Israel to defend itself against expected threats in the area.

* Israel Aerospace Industries’ Systems Missiles and Space Group is the main contractor in the development of the Arrow family of weapons and interceptors, in cooperation with Boeing.

הגעת נשיא ארה”ב לישראל

יום רביעי ט’ ניסן תשע”ג

לפ”מ

המטוס הנשיאותי האמריקני – “Air Force One”

נשיא ארה”ב ברק אובמה יגיע במטוס הנשיאותי המכונה “אייר פורס 1” – על שם אות הקריאה שלו ברשת הקשר של חיל האוויר האמריקני. מדובר בכלי טיס מדגם B747-200 תוצרת בואינג (Boeing) השייך לחיל האוויר האמריקני. משימתו הבלעדית היא לספק תחבורה אווירית לנשיא. צי המטוסים המיוחד של הנשיא כולל שני מטוסים בתצורה ייחודית. ההבדלים העיקריים בינם לבין מטוס Boeing-747 סטנדרטי הם ביכולות הניווט, הטכנולוגיה והתקשורת. מטוס “Air Force One” יכול לשהות באוויר ככל שיידרש כיוון שלמטוס ישנו חיבור מיוחד לתדלוק בזמן טיסה. המטוס גם מכיל את הכלים הדרושים להעמסת מטען באופן עצמאי.

מתחם הנשיא במטוס כולל חדר שינה, חדר אמבטיה ומשרד עבודה.  המסוק הנשיאותי האמריקני – “Marine One” המסוק האמריקני הנשיאותי שבו יטוס נשיא ארה”ב אובמה במהלך ביקורו בישראל נקרא “Marine One” על שם אות הקריאה שלו ברשת הקשר כשנשיא ארה”ב נמצא בו.

צי המסוקים הנשיאותי כולל מספר כלים שונים המיועדים לתחבורה אווירית של הנשיא ואנשי הבית הלבן במשימות בהן אין צורך במטוס ה”אייר פורס 1”.

מל התעופה הבינלאומי ע”ש דוד בן-גוריון נשיא ארה”ב ינחת בנמל התעופה בן-גוריון (נתב”ג). נתב”ג הוא נמל התעופה הבינלאומי הגדול בישראל, ומשמש כשער הכניסה האווירי הראשי שלה. שדה התעופה קרוי על שמו של ראש ממשלת ישראל הראשון דוד בן-גוריון ז”ל. הנמל הוקם ע”י הבריטים בזמן המנדט הבריטי בשנות ה-30 של המאה ה-20.   במקביל להכנות של רשות שדות התעופה ונמל התעופה לקראת ביקור נשיא ארה”ב, צפויים לעבור בשדה התעופה למעלה ממיליון נוסעים 1,017,166 בכ- 6,500 תנועות מטוסים במהלך חודש חג הפסח השנה (בין התאריכים 14.3 – 11.4).

טקס קבלת הפנים בנתב”ג

משמר הכבוד במשמר הכבוד לנשיא ארה”ב ברק אובמה ייקחו חלק חיילים מזרוע היבשה, חיל הים וחיל האוויר של צה”ל: 22 צוערי קורס חובלים של חיל הים, 22 פרחי טיס של חיל האוויר, 22 צוערי בה”ד 1 של זרוע היבשה, 22 שוטרות צבאיות של אגף כוח האדם ודגלנים אשר יישאו את הדגלים הבאים: דגל המדינה, דגל צה”ל, דגל זרוע היבשה, דגל חיל האוויר, דגל חיל הים, דגל אגף המודיעין, דגל אגף כוח האדם, דגל אגף טכנולוגיה ולוגיסטיקה, דגל חיל התקשוב, דגל פיקוד המרכז, דגל פיקוד הצפון, דגל פיקוד הדרום ודגל פיקוד העורף. מפקד משמר הכבוד הינו רמ”ד טקסים באגף כוח האדם של צה”ל, סגן- אלוף עודד נהרי. את משמר הכבוד תלווה תזמורת צה”ל בהרכב סדיר מלא של כ- 50 חיילים סדירים, שתנגן את המנוני ישראל וארה”ב. את פניו של נשיא ארה”ב ברק אובמה יקבלו נשיא המדינה שמעון פרס וראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו.   לאחר טקס קבלת הפנים בנתב”ג, נשיא ארה”ב יעבור לתצוגת מערכת ההגנה הרב-שכבתית של מדינת ישראל המורכבת מ”כיפת ברזל”, מערכת “שרביט קסמים” ומערכות “חץ 2″ ו”חץ 3″.

תצוגת מערכת ההגנה הרב-שכבתית

בעשור האחרון נורו יותר מ-10,000 טילים ורקטות לתוך שטח ישראל, יותר מ-4000 מהם במלחמת לבנון השנייה וכ-2000 בשנת 2012 מעזה.   מערך ההגנה הרב שכבתית של מדינת ישראל מורכב מ-4 שכבות הגנה:

מערכת “כיפת ברזל” המערכת המבצעית היחידה מסוגה בעולם ליירוט רקטות קצרות טווח, שמהווה את שכבת ההגנה הראשונה.  מערכת “שרביט קסמים” נמצאת בימים אלה בפיתוח כדי לספק מענה לטילים ורקטות מטווח קצר ובינוני, ובעתיד גם נגד טילי שיוט. מערכת “חץ 2” שהפכה למערכת המבצעית הראשונה בעולם בתחילת שנות ה-2000 ותפקידה לספק מענה לטילים ארוכי טווח כמו אלה שנמצאים ברשות איראן. מערך החץ עבר שדרוג משמעותי בשנים האחרונות, ובשנה האחרונה תורגל בהצלחה רבה בתרגיל AC12  עם הכוחות האמריקאיים. מערכת “חץ 3” נמצאת בימים אלה בפיתוח כדי לעבות את שכבת ההגנה נגד טילים ארוכי טווח כמו אלה שנמצאים ברשות איראן.

מערכת “כיפת ברזל”:

סטטוס: מבצעית מערכת “כיפת ברזל” שפותחה על ידי מדינת ישראל, היא המערכת המבצעית הראשונה והיחידה מסוגה בעולם ליירוט רקטות קצרות טווח:

נתוני יירוטים ואחוזי הצלחה: מאז הפכה מערכת”כיפת ברזל” למבצעית בשנת 2011 (בתום שלוש שנות פיתוח) ועד היום, יירטה המערכת בהצלחה למעלה מ- 350 רקטות ששוגרו לעבר ישראל. כל אחת מ-350 הרקטות שיורטו על ידי מערכת “כיפת ברזל” עד היום, הייתה אמורה ליפול בשטחים מיושבים ולגרום לנזק רב בנפש וברכוש. מערכת “כיפת ברזל” הוכיחה את יכולתה בהצלת חיים של מיליוני תושבים בדרום ובמרכז הארץ, ובמניעת נזקים חמורים. בנוסף מייצרת המערכת הרתעה ומרחיבה את יכולת התמרון של הדרג המדיני.   פרויקט “כיפת ברזל” הכולל מספר רב של פריצות דרך טכנולוגיות, הסתיים תוך זמן קצר ביותר והוא מהווה שיא של זמן פיתוח (משלב הייזום, הנבטת הרעיון ועד המימוש), ובעלויות נמוכות וחסרות תקדים בפרויקט בסדר גודל כזה.

מערכת “שרביט קסמים”:

סטטוס: בפיתוח

מערכת “שרביט קסמים” נועדה להעניק למדינת ישראל שכבת הגנה נוספת מפני טילים לטווח קצר ובינוני ובכך לאפשר עיבוי מערך ההגנה על מדינת ישראל מפני איומי הטילים והרקטות. “שרביט קסמים” תספק מענה לאיום טילים ורקטות מטווח בינוני וקצר, ובעתיד גם נגד טילי שיוט.

פיתוח מערכת “שרביט קסמים” החל בשנת 2006, כפרויקט משותף למנהלת “חומה”, הפועלת במסגרת המנהל למחקר, פיתוח אמל”ח ותשתית טכנולוגית (מפא”ת) של משרד הביטחון הישראלי, לחברת רפאל ולסוכנות האמריקנית להגנה בפני טילים האמריקאית (MDA). באחרונה הושלם סבב ניסויי הפיתוח הראשוני של מערכת “שרביט קסמים”, בביצוע ניסוי יירוט מוצלח ראשון בשדה ניסויים. נתוני הניסוי יאפשרו את המשך הפיתוח של מערכת שרביט קסמים, ואת המשך ניסויי הפיתוח הדרושים עד להבשלה מבצעית של המערכת בעתיד.

מערכת “חץ 2”:

סטטוס: מבצעית מערכת “חץ 2” הוכרזה כמבצעית כבר בשנת 2002, ומאז נמצאת בשירות מערך ההגנה האווירית של חיל האוויר.

מערכת “חץ 2”, שפותחה במשותף ע”י מנהלת חומה במפא”ת, משרד הביטחון והסוכנות האמריקנית להגנה מפני טילים (MDA) נועדה לספק שכבת הגנה עליונה מפני טילים בליסטיים ארוכי טווח. מאז הפיכתה למבצעית, בוצעו במערכת “חץ 2” שורה של שיפורים. האחרון שבהם, עדכון הגרסה “בלוק 4” נוסה בהצלחה והוטמע במערכת במהלך שנת 2012.

מערכת “חץ 3”:

סטטוס: בפיתוח

מערכת “חץ 3” נועדה להעניק שכבת הגנה עליונה נוספת מפני טילים. להוסיף הזדמנויות יירוט למערכת ה”חץ 2” ובכך לעבות את מערך ההגנה על מדינת ישראל מפני איומי הטילים ארוכי הטווח.  מערכת “חץ 3” נחשבת למערכת חדשנית ומהפכנית. יכולותיה יאפשרו למרכיבים הקיימים של מערכת “חץ 2″ שכבר מבצעית כיום, להתמודד ביעילות רבה יותר עם איומים עתידיים על מדינת ישראל. בשבועות האחרונים בוצע ניסוי טיסה מוצלח של מיירט “חץ 3” (5 שנים לאחר תחילת הפיתוח).  הצלחת הניסוי מהווה אבן דרך חשובה ביכולת המבצעית של מדינת ישראל להגן על עצמה נגד האיומים הצפויים בזירה.   הקבלן הראשי לפיתוח מערכת הנשק ומיירטי משפחת ה”חץ” הינו מפעל מל”מ של התעשייה האווירית, אשר פועל בשיתוף עם חברת בואינג.