Itongadol.- Israel will make peace with its Arab neighbors and that will lead to an agreement with the Palestinians, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday at a Likud faction meeting, which took place at Jerusalem\’s Menachem Begin Heritage Center.
The meeting was held at the center in honor of the 24th anniversary of Begin\’s death. Likud faction head Tzachi Hanegbi said the site was selected, because Netanyahu is not permitted to visit Begin\’s grave site on the Mount of Olives for security reasons.
Netanyahu praised Begin for making peace with Egypt and said it was time for the international community to realize that the paradigm for peacemaking had changed.
"If someone thought earlier that a breakthrough with the Palestinians would lead to improved relations with the Arab world for us, the opposite is happening and will continue to happen," Netanyahu said. "The Arab world softening its views toward us will help us when the time comes to reach a real and lasting agreement with our Palestinian neighbors."
Netanyahu said Israel\’s relations with Arab countries had improved due to the threats from Iran and Islamic State.
"More and more Arab countries are realized that Israel is not the enemy of the Arab world but rather their partner in a joint struggle against Islamic extremists," Netanyahu said. "We are both fighting the Shiite Islamic extremists led by Iran and the Sunni extremists led by ISIS."
Netanyahu said he hoped such partnerships would lead to the Palestinians adopting views that are more realistic and responsible regarding a future agreement with Israel.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki declared last month that his government would “never” re-engage in direct talks with Israel.
Shas leader Arye Deri also praised Begin Monday, saying that he did more than anyone to help Sephardi immigrants from North African and Middle Eastern countries. Deri said it was because Shas was in the government that poor Israelis were being helped.
The event at the Begin Center featured tight security. The security was so tight that Temple Mount activist Yehudah Glick, who was shot and nearly killed outside the center last year, removed the bullet proof vest that he normally wears.