Netanyahu issues long-term war

The Israeli PM stated that his army is prepared for a protracted conflict with militants from Hamas.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Monday at the start of the winter session of the national parliament that Israel is ready for a “long war” and will fight until it completely defeats its adversaries.

According to Netanyahu, Israel is currently fighting for its very survival. He also expressed confidence that his nation will ultimately defeat Hamas, the Palestinian resistance organisation that last week launched an unexpected attack on Israeli territory near Gaza, killing and injuring hundreds of people.

“We must fight firmly against those who want to ruin us at this moment. Our ultimate objective is to completely defeat Hamas and end its influence and menace to Israel, according to Netanyahu.

The Israeli prime minister stressed throughout his speech that Israel was prepared to take revenge on the Lebanese militant organisation Hezbollah if it tried to get involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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Netanyahu said that both Hezbollah and Hamas were “part of the axis of evil,” which he claimed was being directed by Iran, and stated, “I also have a message for Hezbollah: Do not test us in the north, do not repeat the mistake you once made, because the price you will have to pay now will be much higher.”

Along with being identical to the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), Netanyahu claimed that Hamas was a “new version of nazism.” He urged Israel to have support from the “entire civilised world” in this conflict, saying that “just as the world came together to defeat the Nazis and ISIS, it must now come together to defeat Hamas.”

Meanwhile, Russia has urged a quick ceasefire and issued a warning that a big conflict is currently brewing in the Middle East. President Vladimir Putin acknowledged Israel’s right to self-defense but denounced the nation’s punitive measures, calling them a kind of collective punishment against the Palestinian people.

According to Putin, dialogue and the establishment of a Palestinian state are the only ways to end the protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He stated that Moscow was prepared to facilitate any upcoming negotiations between the parties.