Netanyahu Rejects Gaza Document and Demands Genuine Hamas Disarmament

TEL AVIV, August 9. /TASS/. Israel rejects the 15-point document on Gaza and will not withdraw its forces until Hamas is genuinely disarmed, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the start of the government’s weekly meeting.

"Israel does not accept the 15-point document. The Israel Defense Forces will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is disarmed. And when I say the disarming of Hamas, it means heavy weaponry, lighter weaponry, all weaponry. We are talking about genuine disarmament, not fictitious disarmament," Netanyahu said, according to his office.

"Right now, we are talking with the Americans about this issue. They have ideas, some of which are acceptable to us and some of which are unacceptable, and we know how to stand firm against these things," he added.

Israel will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons regardless of whether Washington and Tehran reach an agreement, Netanyahu said. "I greatly appreciate the historical partnership with the US against Iran’s attempts to acquire nuclear weapons. And I wish to emphasize once again: with or without an agreement, as long as I am prime minister, Iran will not have a nuclear weapon," he said.

"Iran attacks all the countries in the region, and even outside the region, but there is one country it does not attack - the State of Israel. It has not attacked thus far; it might attack, but why have long weeks passed and it has not attacked us? Because it knows the massive blow we will inflict upon it if it does so," Netanyahu concluded.