Bennett at the UN: Hating Israel doesn't make you 'woke'

• Published date: 28 September 2021
• Author: LAHAV HARKOV
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Speaking in front of the iconic green marble wall, just over 100 days after he became prime minister, Bennett said that "Attacking Israel doesn't make you morally superior. Fighting the only democracy in the Middle East doesn't make you 'woke.' Adopting clichés about Israel without bothering to learn the basic facts, well, that's just plain lazy. Every member state in this building has a choice. It's not a political choice, but a moral one. It's a choice between darkness and light."

Israel, Bennett said repeatedly, "is a lighthouse in a stormy sea," a diverse democracy that contributes to the world with its innovations, he stated.

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Pointing to the 38 countries that opted out of last week's Durban IV Conference – marking 20 years since the World Conference against Racism, which devolved into antisemitism and anti-Israel bias – Bennett said: "This conference was originally meant to be against racism, but over the years turned into a conference of racism, against Israel and the Jewish people – and the world has had enough of this. I thank the 38 countries who chose truth over lies and skipped the conference."

The prime minister specifically thanked the US for being a "longtime, trusted friend," citing the vote last week to fund $1bn. in Iron Dome batteries.

Bennett lamented that, "for way too long, Israel was defined by wars with our neighbors. But this is not what Israel is about."

"Israelis don't wake up in the morning thinking about the conflict. Israelis want to lead a good life, take care of our families, and build a better world for our children," he stated, "which means that from time to time, we might need to leave our jobs, say goodbye to our families, and rush to the battlefield to defend our country – just like my friends and I have had to do ourselves. They should not be judged for it."

Israelis, the prime minister said, are "determined to look ahead, to build a brighter future."

WHILE ISRAEL is focused on doing good, it still faces a threat from a nuclear Iran, Bennett said.

"Iran's nuclear weapons program is at a critical point," he warned. "All redlines have been crossed. Inspections — ignored. All wishful thinking — proven false. Iran is violating the [International Atomic Energy Agency's] safeguard agreements — and it's getting away with it."

Iran is enriching uranium to 60%, one step away from...