It’s a pleasure to see the General Assembly presided
by the Ambassador from Israel, and it’s good to see all of you, distinguished
delegates. Ladies and Gentlemen, Three thousand years ago, King David reigned
over the Jewish state in our eternal capital, Jerusalem. I say that to all
those who proclaim that the Jewish state has no roots in our region and that it
will soon disappear. Throughout our history, the Jewish people have overcome
all the tyrants who have sought our destruction. It’s their ideologies that
have been discarded by history. The people of Israel live on. We say in Hebrew
Am Yisrael Chai, and the Jewish state will live forever. The Jewish people have
lived in the land of Israel for thousands of years. Even after most of our
people were exiled from it, Jews continued to live in the land of Israel
throughout the ages. The masses of our people never gave up the dreamed of
returning to our ancient homeland. Defying the laws of history, we did just
that. We ingathered the exiles, restored our independence and rebuilt our
national life. The Jewish people have come home. We will never be uprooted
again. Yesterday was Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. Every
year, for over three millennia, we have come together on this day of reflection
and atonement. We take stock of our past. We pray for our future. We remember
the sorrows of our persecution; we remember the great travails of our
dispersion; we mourn the extermination of a third of our people, six million,
in the Holocaust. But at the end of Yom Kippur, we celebrate. We celebrate the
rebirth of Israel. We celebrate the heroism of our young men and women who have
defended our people with the indomitable courage of Joshua, David, and the
Maccabees of old. We celebrate the marvel of the flourishing modern Jewish
state. In Israel, we walk the same paths tread by our patriarchs Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob. But we blaze new trails in science, technology, medicine,
agriculture. In Israel, the past and the future find common ground. Unfortunately,
that is not the case in many other countries. For today, a great battle is
being waged between the modern and the medieval. The forces of modernity seek a
bright future in which the rights of all are protected, in which an
ever-expanding digital library is available in the palm of every child, in
which every life is sacred. The forces of medievalism seek a world in which
women and minorities are subjugated, in which knowledge is suppressed, in which
not life but death is glorified. These forces clash around the globe, but
nowhere more starkly than in the Middle East. Israel stands proudly with the
forces of modernity. We protect the rights of all our citizens: men and women,
Jews and Arabs, Muslims and Christians – all are equal before the law. Israel
is also making the world a better place: our scientists win Nobel Prizes. Our
know-how is in every cell-phone and computer that you’re using. We prevent
hunger by irrigating arid lands in Africa and Asia. Recently, I was deeply
moved when I visited Technion, one of our technological institutes in Haifa,
and I saw a man paralyzed from the waist down climb up a flight of stairs,
quite easily, with the aid of an Israeli invention. And Israel’s exceptional
creativity is matched by our people’s remarkable compassion. When disaster
strikes anywhere in the world – in Haiti, Japan, India, Turkey Indonesia and
elsewhere – Israeli doctors are among the first on the scene, performing
life-saving surgeries. In the past year, I lost both my father and my
father-in-law. In the same hospital wards where they were treated, Israeli
doctors were treating Palestinian Arabs. In fact, every year, thousands of
Arabs from the Palestinian territories and Arabs from throughout the Middle
East come to Israel to be treated in Israeli hospitals by Israeli doctors. I
know you’re not going to hear that from speakers around this podium, but that’s
the truth. It’s important that you are aware of this truth. It’s because Israel
cherishes life, that Israel cherishes peace and seeks peace. We seek to
preserve our historic ties and our historic peace treaties with Egypt and
Jordan. We seek to forge a durable peace with the Palestinians. President Abbas
just spoke here. I say to him and I say to you: We won’t solve our conflict
with libelous speeches at the UN. That’s not the way to solve it. We won’t
solve our conflict with unilateral declarations of statehood. We have to sit
together, negotiate together, and reach a mutual compromise, in which a
demilitarized Palestinian state recognizes the one and only Jewish State. Israel
wants to see a Middle East of progress and peace. We want to see the three
great religions that sprang forth from our region – Judaism, Christianity and
Islam – coexist in peace and in mutual respect. Yet the medieval forces of
radical Islam, whom you just saw storming the American embassies throughout the
Middle East, they oppose this. They seek supremacy over all Muslims. They are
bent on world conquest. They want to destroy Israel, Europe, America. They want
to extinguish freedom. They want to end the modern world. Militant Islam has
many branches – from the rulers of Iran with their Revolutionary Guards to Al
Qaeda terrorists to the radical cells lurking in every part of the globe. But
despite their differences, they are all rooted in the same bitter soil of
intolerance. That intolerance is directed first at their fellow Muslims, and
then to Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, secular people, anyone who doesn’t
submit to their unforgiving creed. They want to drag humanity back to an age of
unquestioning dogma and unrelenting conflict. I am sure of one thing.
Ultimately they will fail. Ultimately, light will penetrate the darkness. We’ve
seen that happen before. Some five hundred years ago, the printing press helped
pry a cloistered Europe out of a dark age. Eventually, ignorance gave way to
enlightenment. So too, a cloistered Middle East will eventually yield to the
irresistible power of freedom and technology. When this happens, our region
will be guided not by fanaticism and conspiracy, but by reason and curiosity. I
think the relevant question is this: it’s not whether this fanaticism will be
defeated. It’s how many lives will be lost before it’s defeated. We’ve seen
that happen before too. Some 70 years ago, the world saw another fanatic
ideology bent on world conquest. It went down in flames. But not before it took
millions of people with it. Those who opposed that fanaticism waited too long
to act. In the end they triumphed, but at an horrific cost. My friends, we
cannot let that happen again. At stake is not merely the future of my own
country. At stake is the future of the world. Nothing could imperil our common
future more than the arming of Iran with nuclear weapons. To understand what
the world would be like with a nuclear-armed Iran, just imagine the world with
a nuclear-armed Al-Qaeda. It makes no difference whether these lethal weapons
are in the hands of the world’s most dangerous terrorist regime or the world’s
most dangerous terrorist organization. They’re both fired by the same hatred;
they’re both driven by the same lust for violence. Just look at what the
Iranian regime has done up till now, without nuclear weapons. In 2009, they
brutally put down mass protests for democracy in their own country. Today,
their henchmen are participating in the slaughter of tens of thousands of
Syrian civilians, including thousands of children, directly participating in
this murder. They abetted the killing of American soldiers in Iraq and continue
to do so in Afghanistan. Before that, Iranian proxies killed hundreds of
American troops in Beirut and in Saudi Arabia. They’ve turned Lebanon and Gaza
into terror strongholds, embedding nearly 100,000 missiles and rockets in
civilian areas. Thousands of these rockets and missiles have already been fired
at Israeli communities by their terrorist proxies. In the last year, they’ve
spread their international terror networks to two dozen countries across five
continents – from India and Thailand to Kenya and Bulgaria. They’ve even
plotted to blow up a restaurant a few blocks from the White House in order to
kill a diplomat. And of course, Iran’s rulers repeatedly deny the Holocaust and
call for Israel’s destruction almost on a daily basis, as they did again this
week from the United Nations. So I ask you, given this record of Iranian
aggression without nuclear weapons, just imagine Iranian aggression with
nuclear weapons. Imagine their long range missiles tipped with nuclear
warheads, their terror networks armed with atomic bombs. Who among you would
feel safe in the Middle East? Who would be safe in Europe? Who would be safe in
America? Who would be safe anywhere? There are those who believe that a
nuclear-armed Iran can be deterred like the Soviet Union. That’s a very
dangerous assumption. Militant Jihadists behave very differently from secular
Marxists. There were no Soviet suicide bombers. Yet Iran produces hordes of
them. Deterrence worked with the Soviets, because every time the Soviets faced
a choice between their ideology and their survival, they chose their survival. But
deterrence may not work with the Iranians once they get nuclear weapons. There’s
a great scholar of the Middle East, Prof. Bernard Lewis, who put it best. He
said that for the Ayatollahs of Iran, mutually assured destruction is not a
deterrent, it’s an inducement. Iran’s apocalyptic leaders believe that a
medieval holy man will reappear in the wake of a devastating Holy War, thereby
ensuring that their brand of radical Islam will rule the earth. That’s not just
what they believe. That’s what is actually guiding their policies and their
actions. Just listen to Ayatollah Rafsanjani who said, I quote: ”The use of
even one nuclear bomb inside Israel will destroy everything, however it would
only harm the Islamic world.” Rafsanjani said: “It is not irrational to
contemplate such an eventuality.” Not irrational. And that’s coming from one of
the so-called moderates of Iran. Shockingly, some people have begun to peddle
the absurd notion that a nuclear-armed Iran would actually stabilize the Middle
East. Yeah, right… That’s like saying a nuclear-armed Al-Qaeda would usher in
an era of universal peace. Ladies and Gentlemen, I’ve been speaking about the
need to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons for over 15 years. I spoke
about it in my first term in office as Prime Minister, and then I spoke about
it when I left office. I spoke about it when it was fashionable, and I spoke
about it when it wasn’t fashionable. I speak about it now because the hour is
getting late, very late. I speak about it now because the Iranian nuclear
calendar doesn’t take time out for anyone or for anything. I speak about it now
because when it comes to the survival of my country, it’s not only my right to
speak; it’s my duty to speak. And I believe that this is the duty of every responsible
leader who wants to preserve world peace. For nearly a decade, the
international community has tried to stop the Iranian nuclear program with
diplomacy. That hasn’t worked. Iran uses diplomatic negotiations as a means to
buy time to advance its nuclear program. For over seven years, the
international community has tried sanctions with Iran. Under the leadership of
President Obama, the international community has passed some of the strongest
sanctions to date. I want to thank the governments represented here that have
joined in this effort. It’s had an effect. Oil exports have been curbed and the
Iranian economy has been hit hard. It’s had an effect on the economy, but we
must face the truth. Sanctions have not stopped Iran’s nuclear program either. According
to the International Atomic Energy Agency, during the last year alone, Iran has
doubled the number of centrifuges in its underground nuclear facility in Qom. At
this late hour, there is only one way to peacefully prevent Iran from getting
atomic bombs. That’s by placing a clear red line on Iran’s nuclear weapons
program. Red lines don’t lead to war; red lines prevent war. Look at NATO’s
charter: it made clear that an attack on one member country would be considered
an attack on all. NATO’s red line helped keep the peace in Europe for nearly
half a century. President Kennedy set a red line during the Cuban Missile
Crisis. That red line also prevented war and helped preserve the peace for
decades. In fact, it’s the failure to place red lines that has often invited
aggression. If the Western powers had drawn clear red lines during the 1930s, I
believe they would have stopped Nazi aggression and World War II might have
been avoided. In 1990, if Saddam Hussein had been clearly told that his
conquest of Kuwait would cross a red line, the first Gulf War might have been
avoided. Clear red lines have also worked with Iran. Earlier this year, Iran
threatened to close the Straits of Hormouz. The United States drew a clear red
line and Iran backed off. Red lines could be drawn in different parts of Iran’s
nuclear weapons program. But to be credible, a red line must be drawn first and
foremost in one vital part of their program: on Iran’s efforts to enrich
uranium. Now let me explain why: Basically, any bomb consists of explosive
material and a mechanism to ignite it. The simplest example is gunpowder and a
fuse. That is, you light the fuse and set off the gunpowder. In the case of
Iran’s plans to build a nuclear weapon, the gunpowder is enriched uranium. The
fuse is a nuclear detonator. For Iran, amassing enough enriched uranium is far
more difficult than producing the nuclear fuse. For a country like Iran, it
takes many, many years to enrich uranium for a bomb. That requires thousands of
centrifuges spinning in tandem in very big industrial plants. Those Iranian
plants are visible and they’re still vulnerable. In contrast, Iran could
produce the nuclear detonator – the fuse – in a lot less time, maybe under a
year, maybe only a few months. The detonator can be made in a small workshop
the size of a classroom. It may be very difficult to find and target that workshop,
especially in Iran. That’s a country that’s bigger than France, Germany, Italy
and Britain combined. The same is true for the small facility in which they
could assemble a warhead or a nuclear device that could be placed in a
container ship. Chances are you won’t find that facility either. So in fact the
only way that you can credibly prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon,
is to prevent Iran from amassing enough enriched uranium for a bomb. So, how
much enriched uranium do you need for a bomb? And how close is Iran to getting
it? Let me show you. I brought a diagram for you. Here’s the diagram. This is a
bomb; this is a fuse. In the case of Iran’s nuclear plans to build a bomb, this
bomb has to be filled with enough enriched uranium. And Iran has to go through
three stages. The first stage: they have to enrich enough of low enriched
uranium. The second stage: they have to enrich enough medium enriched uranium. And
the third stage and final stage: they have to enrich enough high enriched
uranium for the first bomb. Where’s Iran? Iran’s completed the first stage. It
took them many years, but they completed it and they’re 70% of the way there. Now
they are well into the second stage. By next spring, at most by next summer at
current enrichment rates, they will have finished the medium enrichment and
move on to the final stage. From there, it’s only a few months, possibly a few
weeks before they get enough enriched uranium for the first bomb. Ladies and
Gentlemen, What I told you now is not based on secret information. It’s not
based on military intelligence. It’s based on public reports by the
International Atomic Energy Agency. Anybody can read them. They’re online. So
if these are the facts, and they are, where should the red line be drawn? The
red line should be drawn right here. Before Iran completes the second stage of
nuclear enrichment necessary to make a bomb. Before Iran gets to a point where
it’s a few months away or a few weeks away from amassing enough enriched
uranium to make a nuclear weapon. Each day, that point is getting closer.
That’s why I speak today with such a sense of urgency. And that’s why everyone
should have a sense of urgency. Some who claim that even if Iran completes the
enrichment process, even if it crosses that red line that I just drew, our
intelligence agencies will know when and where Iran will make the fuse,
assemble the bomb, and prepare the warhead. Look, no one appreciats our
intelligence agencies more than the Prime Minister of Israel. All these leading
intelligence agencies are superb, including ours. They’ve foiled many attacks.
They’ve saved many lives. But they are not foolproof. For over two years, our
intelligence agencies didn’t know that Iran was building a huge nuclear
enrichment plant under a mountain. Do we want to risk the security of the world
on the assumption that we would find in time a small workshop in a country half
the size of Europe? Ladies and Gentlemen, The relevant question is not when
Iran will get the bomb. The relevant question is at what stage can we no longer
stop Iran from getting the bomb. The red line must be drawn on Iran’s nuclear
enrichment program because these enrichment facilities are the only nuclear
installations that we can definitely see and credibly target. I believe that
faced with a clear red line, Iran will back down. This will give more time for
sanctions and diplomacy to convince Iran to dismantle its nuclear weapons
program altogether. Two days ago, from this podium, President Obama reiterated
that the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran cannot be contained. I very much appreciate
the President’s position as does everyone in my country. We share the goal of
stopping Iran’s nuclear weapons program. This goal unites the people of Israel.
It unites Americans, Democrats and Republicans alike and it is shared by
important leaders throughout the world. What I have said today will help ensure
that this common goal is achieved. Israel is in discussions with the United
States over this issue, and I am confident that we can chart a path forward
together. Ladies and Gentlemen, The clash between modernity and medievalism
need not be a clash between progress and tradition. The traditions of the
Jewish people go back thousands of years. They are the source of our collective
values and the foundation of our national strength. At the same time, the
Jewish people have always looked towards the future. Throughout history, we
have been at the forefront of efforts to expand liberty, promote equality, and
advance human rights. We champion these principles not despite of our
traditions but because of them. We heed the words of the Jewish prophets
Isaiah, Amos, and Jeremiah to treat all with dignity and compassion, to pursue
justice and cherish life and to pray and strive for peace. These are the
timeless values of my people and these are the Jewish people’s greatest gift to
mankind. Let us commit ourselves today to defend these values so that we can
defend our freedom and protect our common civilization. Thank you.
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