Ya'alon: West engaged in wishful thinking
Defense minister backs PM's UN speech, says 'some in the West prefer not to come face to face with reality'
"The prime minister outlined an accurate picture of how we view the Iranian threat, and some in the West prefer not to come face to face with reality. Iran is actively engaged in terror in Afghanistan, arms and trains Hezbollah, tries to smuggle weapons into Gaza, funds a terrorist infrastructure in South America and Asia, while the centrifuges keep spinning. That is why we're saying that the Iranian nuclear program must be stopped, whatever the way."
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Addressing the General Assembly on Tuesday, Netanyahu countered Rohani's "charm offensive" by calling him a "wolf in sheep's clothing" and urged the international community not to ease sanctions on Iran until it dismantles its nuclear program.
Netanyahu was satisfied with the positive response to his speech. Speaking to associates following the address he said, "I don’t remember ever speaking at the UN and having dozens of ambassadors coming to shake my hand and show their appreciation."
A state official addressed criticism that Netanyahu's speech could be seen as a challenge on President Obama's efforts to reengage with Iran. "Obama has not finalized anything yet but it's definitely feasible to form a joint policy. The pressure we're putting only helps the US in negotiations, it's crystal clear."
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