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Netanyahu at The Hague: Fighting Militant Islam ‘critical’ for world security

On a trip to the Netherlands this week, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated the need for Europe and Israel to work together in the fight against Islamic terrorism, emphasizing the Jewish State’s important contribution to global security.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte during a diplomatic visit to The Hague in the Netherlands on Tuesday.

Netanyahu and Rutte discussed several ways to improve bilateral relations, including an agreement that the Netherlands will help Israel improve water and gas supplies to Gaza.

“We have no battle, no qualms with the people of Gaza, only with the band of terrorist thugs who have taken them blackmail,” Netanyahu said at a joint press conference. “The first step is to improve the supply of energy and water to Gaza, including laying a gas pipeline.”

Netanyahu reiterated the need for Europe and Israel to work together in the fight against Islamic terrorism. “There is a fateful battle that is raging today in the entire world, between the forces of peace and the forces of terror, between the forces of democracy and the force of tyranny, between modernity and medievalism. Israel and the Netherlands stand together for peace, democracy and modernity. We stand together against terror tyranny and medievalism.”

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“If we don’t also band together to defeat militant Islam in other parts of the Middle East, more will die, and millions more will flee their homes. Where will they go? One place – Europe,” Netanyahu said. “So defeating militant Islam everywhere in the Middle East is critical for the security of our region, of Europe, of the world.”

“We are prepared to work with our friends in Europe in our effort in the war against terrorism and in our successful effort to have our state, our democracy, and – at the same time – afford security to our citizens. I think that Europe is very interested in this,” he stated before the meeting.

Rutte said that along with having a frank exchange about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the two leaders also discussed business investment and innovation and the rise of anti-Semitism.

Netanyahu later met with King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands at the Noordeinde Palace. This was the prime minister’s first meeting with the Dutch monarch, who ascended the throne on April 30, 2013.

By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News
JNS.org contributed to this report.