This evening (Thursday), the National Unity Government was presented in the Knesset plenum, and the Knesset approved the government's declaration on the incorporation of Knesset members, Benny Gantz, Gadi Eizenkot, Gideon Sa'ar, Hili Tropper, and Yifat Shasha-Biton as additional ministers in the government. Sixty-six Knesset members supported the proposal, while four opposed it.
In a speech delivered by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, he stated: "National unity is a force multiplier, and the emergency government we are forming today, out of national responsibility, sends a powerful message both externally and internally."
He further stated, "We are all standing together in this war, in unity and mutual support. This is the strongest expression of this statement. We embrace from the depths of our hearts the families who have lost their loved ones and the families of the captives. The pain is so overwhelming, sometimes it feels too heavy to bear, and the grief is very intense. It is felt in every home. We are still in the process of searching. We will not give up on this effort; we will not give up on bringing them home.
"We are facing a despicable and murderous enemy. Our wonderful soldiers in the regular and reserve forces are standing firm. They understand that this is a moment of truth. This is truly a war for our home, and it will end in one thing: an absolute victory, elimination, and the destruction of Hamas, which is ISIS."
"Hamas is indeed ISIS. This is not a propagandistic message; it is simply the truth. The world was shocked after 9/11, and it generated an international coalition to combat this evil. No one said, 'Let's go and meet with representatives of ISIS or Al-Qaeda.' Therefore, I said today that there is no representation, and if there are countries with their presence, they should throw them out. Those who do not do this should face sanctions.
"This is the message coming from this hall of the state's leadership, and it is that there is no division, factions, or weakness among us. We are all united by one goal: to defeat evil, to eliminate bigotry, annihilate ISIS, and eradicate Hamas. The entire world witnessed the horrors perpetrated by these despicable murderers in our settlements and homes. Today, the world understands the need to eliminate the bloodthirsty monster created by terrible barbarity."
