The traditional rally on the occasion of Jerusalem Day was held at the Merkaz HaRav yeshiva this evening (Friday night), in the presence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Chief Rabbis Rabbi David Lau and Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon, ministers, members of Knesset, rabbis and public figures.
The Prime Minister's speech was interrupted by applause and singing.
Netanyahu said: "How much my wife Sara and I have missed this special meeting in recent years. We are so happy to be here with you, on the day of celebration of our capital Israel. I must tell you, we have never left home, we are always in this house. Being here on the day of celebration of Jerusalem is a special celebration. Jerusalem that was wrapped in blue and white, with the 'flag parade' that marched in its thousands.
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""I said today, despite the threats and because of the threats, I ordered the parade to be held on its route, in its order and in its order. The thousands of Israeli flags that were raised during it are our answer to all terrorist organizations: You will not scare us with your threats. You will not defeat us. Whoever tries to harm us will pay the full price. Let their blood be on their heads, as happened just a few days ago in Operation 'Shield and Arrow.' We promised to restore national honor to the people of Israel - and we kept it.".
Netanyahu took advantage of the opportunity to send a message to his coalition partners, in light of the threats by Otzma and Agudat Yisrael to vote against the budget, with ministers Ben Gvir, Meir Porush and Smotrich sitting next to him at the table: "Now, I want to say something to my coalition partners: We do not and will not have a better government. A national government, a strong government, a government that cares about Israel's heritage, about settlement in the Land of Israel, about the people of Israel, and about the future of Israel.".
""So it's time to stop threatening, stop boycotting, stop climbing trees - everyone needs to work together and pass the budget for the people, for the settlement, for the Land of Israel and for the Torah of Israel.".
Prime Minister Netanyahu at Jerusalem Day celebrations at the Rabbinical Center. pic.twitter.com/r6kw73qMX9
— Moti Kastel (@KastelMoti) May 18, 2023
He also referred to the left-wing demonstrations: "Our flag, in recent times, has had a renewed renaissance. The demand for Israeli flags among manufacturers has broken new records, an increase of hundreds of percent. It's not just because of the 'flag parade,' you probably know that there are demonstrations in the country on this side, and on the other side, in which thousands of flags are raised. These demonstrations in themselves make a mockery of the baseless slanders that we will become a 'dictatorship.'.
""I say to everyone: We are brotherly people. Without giving up important principles, we will always seek dialogue and agreements, and my hope is that a day will come when all the flags will one day become one flowing river. All of us together.".
Minister of Jerusalem and Jewish Tradition, Meir Porush, responded to the Prime Minister during his speech at the Merkaz HaRav yeshiva: "I want to address the things that were said here earlier by the esteemed Prime Minister. Indeed, this government is better than many governments that have served here in the past. But, the commitment to the world of the Torah, the tradition of Israel, to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, must also be in actions and not just in words.
""If that is indeed the case, we should vote in favor of the budget. Maybe the news will come out tonight.".
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National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said in his speech at the 'Merkaz HaRav': "The Prime Minister, whom I love very much, said something important in his speech: Don't climb trees. Mr. Prime Minister, targeted assassinations - that's not a tree, legal reform - that's not a tree, settlement in all parts of Judea and Samaria - that's not a tree, evacuation of Khan al-Ahmar - that's not a tree, taking the phones from the terrorists in prisons - that's not a tree. We can do it with our own strength, we have a right-wing government, we must not miss.".
