At a special cabinet meeting held today (Monday) to mark Jerusalem Day in the City of David, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to keeping Jerusalem united and whole, while protecting the sovereignty of the State of Israel.
“Our enemies called the massacre they carried out ‘the Al-Aqsa Flood.’ Today, they already understand very well the magnitude of the deluge and the devastation that has befallen them. We will keep Jerusalem united, whole, and uphold Israel’s sovereignty,” Netanyahu declared at the start of his remarks.
The Prime Minister highlighted the historical significance of the City of David, where Jewish settlement in Jerusalem began in the time of King David. “Here in the City of David, one tangibly understands that there is no Zionism without Zion, and no Israel without Jerusalem,” he added.
Netanyahu went on to stress the personal and national connection to the city, recalling his grandfather, Rabbi Nathan Mileikowsky Netanyahu of blessed memory, a prominent Zionist activist. According to Netanyahu, his grandfather was strongly opposed to Herzl’s Uganda Plan, motivated by a deep sense of historic duty to safeguard Jerusalem as the spiritual center of the Jewish people.
“If, God forbid, we give up Jerusalem, we will face a massacre many times greater”
“My grandfather believed,” Netanyahu continued, “that if we accepted the Uganda Plan, all of Jewish history would be rendered meaningless.” He added that the grandparents and parents who paid a heavy price for the Land of Israel could never accept the notion of abandoning Zion for settlement in Africa. “It was unthinkable to forsake Zion in exchange for settling somewhere in Africa. Accepting the Uganda Plan would have made all of Jewish history meaningless,” he said.
Netanyahu underscored the state’s duty to preserve and develop Jerusalem. “If, God forbid, we give up Jerusalem, we will face a massacre many times worse. It would mean the annihilation of the nation—and we will not allow that to happen,” said the Prime Minister, noting the government decisions intended to ensure continued development of the city.
This development, he said, would include the preservation of heritage sites, and advancement in infrastructure, housing, transportation, employment, education, healthcare, culture, religious life, and projects to encourage tourism in Jerusalem.
Netanyahu concluded with a national and religious vision, quoting the prophet Isaiah:
“Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, have I set watchmen, all the day and all the night” (Isaiah 62:6).
“We will continue to guard and build Jerusalem with God’s help,” he said in closing. “The pride of our strength, the joy of our lives. Happy Jerusalem Day.”
