Danny Danon, Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, declared in an exclusive interview with Newsmax TV that Israel must ultimately “bring down the Hamas regime” to secure peace in the Middle East.
“We know it’s temporary. We will have to take action,” Danon, a rising Israeli political star, tells Newsmax in an exclusive interview. “It’s a matter of time until we do.
“But, unfortunately, when you have such forces, which are full of hatred and enticement, it’s only a matter of time until we will continue with the hatred again. And when you look at Gaza today, you don’t have any Jewish settlement today in the Gaza Strip. You ask yourself why they are sending missiles, why they are attacking the civilian population in Israel, and you understand the hatred. That’s something we have to realize.
“So it’s not about making more concessions or staking out more settlements,” Danon said. “We did it in Gaza and we received missiles in return.”
Danon, whose latest book is “Israel: The Will to Prevail,” said the Jewish state is prepared to act alone to stop Iran from building nuclear weapons.
“We will do whatever is necessary to make sure that Iran will not become nuclear. It is not a threat only to Israel. It’s a threat also to the American people — and it’s including a military strike,” he said. “We did it in the past in Iraq in 1981 — and we are ready to do whatever it takes to make sure that Iran will not become nuclear.
“We want to see cooperation from Washington, from the White House, and if we feel that there is no cooperation, we’ll have to take whatever steps necessary to secure the safety and the well-being of the people in Israel — and that’s including acting by ourselves. I hope to not reach such a provision, but we are getting ready for every scenario.
“Not only have we proven that we can do it alone — and we will do whatever is necessary, even if it means we will do it ourselves, but when we speak about support, first of all we need the moral support,” Danon added. “Moral support to get the backing of the U.S., and then you can go ahead and speak about the technology issues, military support.
“We are not excited to see American forces on the ground, but yet the U.S. has the technology — and the strength of the military is something that Israel cannot do by itself. If the U.S. will support Israel, it will be much easier for us,” he said.
Danon, however, does believe the US will ultimately align itself with Israel.
“Absolutely, because when you hear the voices coming from Iran, you understand that the hatred is not against people in Israel. It’s hatred against Israel, but also against the U.S. They’re talking about the ‘little Satan,’ which is half of the Jews in Israel, but also they’re talking about the ‘great Satan,’ which is the American people. And they’re facing in different ways. If they will go after the Saturday people, then they will go after the Sunday people, the Christians.
“The thing is you people in the U.S. cannot afford to ignore the voices — and that’s why we do have to work together.”
And that cooperation starts with a fresh perspective on the Mideast by Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the Democratic head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who is expected to be nominated as Secretary of State by President Barack Obama.
“John Kerry must realize there is a new Middle East — and it’s not something he expected in the past,” Danon said. “He had very high expectations for the regime in Syria — and we’re looking at what’s happening today in Syria.
“I would extend an invitation to him to come to the region, to see what exactly is happening today — and he will realize Israel is really the only real ally of the U.S. today, the only democracy that shares the same values as the American people — and he will understand that what he thought would happen in the Middle East is not happening today.”
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