Speaking in a joint press conference with Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman in the IDF HQ, James Mattis says US 'committed to Israel's security...We recognize the need to confront the destabilizing activities of Iran


US Secretary of Defense James Mattis said that he was ‘committed to Israel’s security” on Friday afternoon during a joint press conference with Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman in the IDF’s headquarters in Tel Aviv.

Mattis began his remarks by stating his respect for Israel and its people, reaffirming his committment to ensure that genocide is never committed against the Jewish people again.

“I’m honored to return to Israel once again to show my respect for this country and for the Israeli people. I am keenly aware that we stand together this morning, just a week before the Holocaust Rememberance Day, and we share a common determination to never allow such horrific event to reoccur," he said.

Cooperation between the countries continues. I came from Saudi Arabia and other visits in the region,” he said. “In the meeting with Lieberman, we promised to establish the strong connection between Israel and the United States."

Turning to the issue of the ongoing Syrian civil war, Mattis said: "There can be no doubt in the international community's mind that Syria has retained chemical weapons in violation of its agreement and its statement that it had removed them all. There is no longer any doubt."

He also warned that they would be "ill-advised" to use them again.

Addressing Iran's repeated threats against Israel, Mattis said that his country recognized the need to tackle its aggression.

“In addition to our campaign to defeat ISIS, we also recognize the need to confront the destabilizing activities of Iran. Iran continues to threaten Israel and its neighbors with ballistic missiles...through proxies and surrogates, including Lebanese Hezbollah, a terrorist organization helping to keep Assad in power in Syria.”

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4951849,00.html

US defense secretary won’t allow ‘bad people to dominate’

Meeting with the Israeli president and prime minister, James Mattis stresses that the US remains committed to Israel’s external and internal security.

Shortly after his meeting with his Israeli counterpart on Friday, the US secretary of defense met with the Israeli president and prime minister in separate meetings in Jerusalem.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received James Mattis and praised the relations between the two countries. “Israel has no better friend than America,” he began. “America has no better friend than Israel. And this is a partnership based on common values in the deepest sense of the word. We sense a great change in the direction of American policy.

“We know that the very clear and forthright words, Mr. Secretary, that you had to say about Iran, this follows very strong and forthright words on the part of President Trump and very forthright deeds against the use of chemical weapons by Iran's proxy, Syria. This has been appreciated around the world and in our region. I think this is a welcome change, a strategic change of American leadership and American policy.”

Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman accompanied Mattis to his working meeting with President Reuven Rivlin. The head of state welcomed Mattis and spoke of the high regard with which the former general was held by the IDF.

He added, “It is a really great honor, a pleasure, to welcome you secretary of defense, not only as the secretary (of defense) of our greatest ally, but as a former general, and not only as a general, but as a real soldier, and a leader.” The president went on to thank the US Administration, both past and present, for their firm support for Israel, and for the recent signing of the historic military aid package deal.

President Rivlin stressed the need for confidence building between Israelis and Palestinians and said, “We are very committed to the need to build trust with the Palestinians, and I know you are devoted to this mission. The mistrust between the two peoples makes it almost impossible to find a way to bring to an end not only a conflict, but a real tragedy.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4951936,00.html

where VI's justice &:equity? while it's cool for Israel & her allies to keep N.W, opposing nations must not be allowed! it's alright!! smaller nations are waiting to take the so called world power to the cleaner.

IRANIAN MILITARY CHIEF THREATENS TO 'WIPE TEL AVIV OFF THE MAP'

General Mustafa Yazdi, the assistant chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, warned that “Iran will flatten Tel Aviv and Haifa if Israel perpetrates an attack on our country.”

A senior Iranian official on Thursday threatened to “wipe Tel Aviv and Haifa off the map” in the event of an Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear installations.

General Mustafa Yazdi, the assistant chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, warned that “Iran will flatten Tel Aviv and Haifa if Israel perpetrates an attack on our country.”

The Lebanese television station Al Mayadeen, which is affiliated with the Shi’ite Hezbollah movement, aired footage of the general’s remarks, which came on the heels of “the threats made by Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman.”

This is not the first time that senior Iranian officials have threatened to “erase Tel Aviv.” Earlier this week, Mujtaba A-Nur, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said that Iran “will erase Tel Aviv in 10 minutes if Israel dares attack Iran.”

“If the Zionist regime attacks us, our missiles will reach Tel Aviv within six, seven minutes, and they will destroy it before the dust and the smoke of their missiles reach us,” he said.

http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Iranian-military-chief-threatens-to-wipe-Tel-Aviv-off-the-map-392359

Israel should be wiped off map, says Iran's president

Iran's new president created a sense of outrage in the west yesterday by describing Israel as a "disgraceful blot" that should be "wiped off the face of the earth". Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who is more hardline than his predecessor, told students in Tehran that a new wave of Palestinian attacks would be enough to finish off Israel.

The populist leader's comments [See footnote], reported by the state-run media, come at a time when Tehran is under pressure over its suspect nuclear weapons ambitions and alleged involvement in attacks on British troops in Iraq.

He said: "Anybody who recognises Israel will burn in the fire of the Islamic nation's fury, [while] any [Islamic leader] who recognises the Zionist regime means he is acknowledging the surrender and defeat of the Islamic world." He was addressing a conference titled The World Without Zionism.

His speech was immediately condemned by the US, Britain, France, Germany and Israel. The Foreign Office could not recall a similar statement from a senior Iranian leader since the former president Hashemi Rafsanjani five years ago called for a Muslim state to annihilate Israel with a nuclear strike. Since then, there has been a mild thaw in relations between Muslim states, including Arab ones, and Israel.

But Mr Ahmadinejad rejected compromise: "There is no doubt that the new wave [of attacks] in Palestine will wipe off this stigma [Israel] from the face of the Islamic world." Recalling the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of Iran's Islamic revolution, he said: "As the imam said, Israel must be wiped off the map."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/oct/27/israel.iran