Less than a day after Defense Minister Ehud Barak failed to reach an agreement over West Bank settlement construction with US Mideast envoy George Mitchell, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Wednesday night called Israel's bond with the United States "unbreakable."
We have a brave relationship with the United States, a bond that President Obama himself defined as unbreakable; Indeed, our bond with the US is unbreakable, Netanyahu stated, speaking at the fourth of July US Independence Day reception at the American ambassador's residence in Herzliya.
Netnayhu went on to praise the US, calling the country a model for freedom and values.
In a allusion to the Iranian nuclear program, Netanyahu said freedom has usually triumphed over repressive regimes, but warned that the world order could break down if tyrannical regimes obtain weapons of mass destruction. RELATEDBarak: US, Israel close on settlements
"The greatest danger facing our world today is that this historical consistency of the triumph and spread of democracy could change if the world's worst regimes acquire the world's most dangerous weapons," he said.
Netanyahu did not mention Iran, but he has often warned against allowing Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. Iran has denied it is pursuing nuclear weapons.
The prime minister went on to stress that the state of Israel and its citizens deeply appreciate the US, noting that several of Jerusalem's streets are named after former US presidents.
US Ambassador to Israel James Cunningham also mentioned the strong bond to Israel, and said the US is committed to the security of Israel and to the security of Israel's citizens.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon, Social Welfare Minister Yitzhak Herzog, and Opposition chairman and Kadima leader Tzipi Livni attended the reception.
