Clarity from the Australian government

From PM Netanyahu's Remarks at the Start of the Weekly Cabinet Meeting

(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Sunday, 8 June), made the following remarks at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting:

...Over the weekend we ...heard an interesting declaration from the Australian government of a kind that we do not always hear. It simply said that eastern Jerusalem is not occupied territory; the minimum is that it is an area in dispute. To say this sharply and with such clarity and, I would say, courage, is refreshing given the chorus of hypocrisy and ignorance, ignorance not only of ancient history, but of recent and current history.

What has really happened here? Who invaded who? Who occupied what? What is subject to negotiation? What is the area in dispute? These are new things.

I certainly appreciate this stand by the Australian government and I am certain that all those who want to see an agreement here based on peace, justice and truth – and it is impossible to build peace based on historic lies – would agree. There is truth and it must be embraced. It requires many, many conclusions and steps, but it certainly does not require the sanctification of lies.