Netanyahu, Obama discuss Palestinian incitement on sidelines of Paris Climate Conference

While climate was the topic of the conference, the recent wave of Muslim terror attacks was on the mind of many of the 150 leaders who convened in Paris. 

By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Barack Obama and US Secretary of State John Kerry held a walking meeting in a corridor Monday night on the sidelines of the Paris Climate Conference. The impromptu meeting reportedly lasted for ten minutes.

Netanyahu later said they discussed the issue of Palestinian incitement, which has generated two and a-half months of terror attacks in Israel.

“I told him [Obama] that a main part of terrorism is incitement and that Abu Mazen must stop his incitement and the lies that he is spreading about our policy on the Temple Mount,” Netanyahu shared. “President Obama told me that he intends to discuss this with Abu Mazen, that he agrees with me that this must stop.”

Later on, while addressing the conference, Netanyahu related to the recent wave of Muslim terrorism that has struck at several Western cities, including Paris, and said that the world must address the driving force behind the attacks, the religiously motivated incitement. “Those who are committed to peace must fight incitement, must speak the truth.”

Addressing Palestinian Authority (PA) head Mahmoud Abbas directly, Netanyahu said that “if President Abbas is committed to peace, he must stop inciting his people against Israel, and start condemning the murder of innocents in Israel.”

Abbas and Netanyahu also had an unplanned handshake while meeting during a group photo op.

Israel a ‘Major Regional Force’

Netanyahu also met on the sidelines with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė, Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, French President François Hollande, Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydło and other leaders from Africa and Cameron.

Netanyahu said that these meetings attested to Israel’s strong international status as a leading force.

“Israel’s position is very strong. People are seeking out a close relationship with us. They understand that Israel is a major regional force as well as a major global force in technology and cyber. There is hardly anyone who hasn’t spoken with me about this and they also understand that we can help in the war on terrorism and radical Islam. This is strong and genuine. This finds expression in the desire of many leaders, from Australia and in general, to talk and cooperate with Israel,” he said.