Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed firm backing for the people of Iran during his statements at the government meeting on Sunday, amid ongoing protests across Iran against the Islamic Republic.
“We stand in solidarity with the struggle of the Iranian people and with their aspirations for freedom, liberty, and justice,” he said.
“It is very possible that we are witnessing a moment in which the Iranian people are taking their fate into their own hands.”
The protests in Iran broke out last week on Sunday over the country’s economic crisis, with demonstrations continuing to spread to dozens of cities and towns in the country.
Netanyahu says US talks focused on Iran’s nuclear program
Netanyahu also spoke on his trip to Florida, in which he met with US President Donald Trump.
”We also discussed Iran, of course. We reiterated our shared position of zero enrichment on the one hand, and the need to remove the 400 kilograms of enriched material from Iran, as well as to impose strict and genuine oversight of the sites.”
“These discussions took place at the very beginning of the developments unfolding in Iran – dramatic events,” Netanyahu said.
The prime minister also voiced support for Venezuela following Trump’s announcement on Saturday that the US military had captured Nicolas Maduro in an overnight operation, for him to face charges in New York.
“I wish to express the full government’s support for the decisive decision and decisive action taken by the United States to restore freedom and justice to that region of the world as well,” Netanyahu said.
“Across Latin America, more broadly, we are currently witnessing a shift; several countries are returning to the American axis and, not surprisingly, also renewing ties with the State of Israel. We welcome this,” he added.
The prime minister praised Trump and the US military, stating that they carried out “a flawless operation.”
“We know how to appreciate such actions,” he said.
Netanyahu reported that he and Trump had discussed the developments in the region, and the US president remained firm on Hamas’s disarmament as a necessary condition for the implementation of his 20-point peace plan in Gaza.
There is no other option, Netanyahu said, adding that Trump had “made no concession ... or [shown] flexibility” on this point.
Netanyahu also backed National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s recent police operations in the Negev.
The prime minister reportedly said in the meeting that he would not fire Ben-Gvir.
The remarks came after Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara submitted a High Court filing last week asserting that the national security minister was abusing authority and that Netanyahu must explain why Ben-Gvir has not yet been dismissed.
This led to a heated exchange between Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon and those attending the meeting.