Netanyahu Warns of Pressure to Retreat From Security Zone Gains

“We will face pressure, which is already beginning, to retreat from our tremendous achievements,” he said after lawmakers in the 26th Knesset took the oath of office in Jerusalem.

That included, he said, “the achievements of the security zones in Syria, in Lebanon, of course in Gaza, deep inside Gaza, and also in the West Bank, where they will try to dictate the establishment of a Palestinian state to us.”

“A Palestinian state under Iranian patronage would be even worse than what we have known,” Netanyahu said. “Its purpose, of course, would be to destroy the State of Israel.”

International Pressure and Iran

In the same address, he said Iran was working to renew its nuclear threat. “The only way to eliminate the Iranian threat forever is to topple the ayatollah’s regime,” he said.

He also warned that, “in the very near future, we will face international pressure to accept a nuclear Iran.” The Jerusalem Post reported that he said Israel would be pressed “to tolerate the terrifying regime seeking its destruction.”

He did not name which governments, in his account, are applying the pressure over the security zones and a Palestinian state. He has separately been urging Washington to resume strikes on Iran.

Government Formation

The speech came two days after President Isaac Herzog tasked Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming a government. Herzog said factions totaling 67 Knesset members had recommended Eisenkot, while 46 had recommended Netanyahu.

Netanyahu called on lawmakers to set aside other considerations and form a national unity government, arguing that only such a government could face the challenges he described.

“You cannot rely on a government of Israel-haters,” he said.

According to Haaretz, he also warned against forming a narrow government that included, or would depend on, Arab lawmakers he described as “terror supporters who hate Israel.”

The address was interrupted by former prime minister Naftali Bennett, who shouted, “What about your Qatari advisers? What about investigating October 7?” The Jerusalem Post said the remarks drew an inaudible response from Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, and son, Yair, who were in attendance.

Eisenkot has been seeking the endorsements needed to assemble a coalition after the Oct. 27 election.