The only way to fight anti-Semitism and any racism is “to call a spade a spade” and speak the truth, said Minister Naftali Bennett on Tuesday.
Speaking at the Global Forum for Combating Anti-Semitism, Bennett, who serves Minister of Diaspora Affairs, told attendees, “I’m asking all of you – go out. Don’t relent. Don’t be quiet. Speak up.”
One of the more clever methods of anti-Semitism is to claim that Israel’s sole mission is to be a refuge for Jews after the Holocaust, thereby asserting that the land of Israel isn’t Jewish land, said Bennett.
“Part of the truth is that this land, where we are right now – Jerusalem and Israel – is the land of the Jewish people,” he declared. “It’s so very simple: Israel belongs to the Jews. Period. It’s not a compensation for the Holocaust. Israel is the Jewish State. We have to say that again and again.”
He added, “Friends should absolutely criticize us, which is fine. We’re far from perfect. No one’s perfect, but we’re trying to strengthen the only pillar of democracy in an ocean of radical Islam which is out to wipe out the world. We’re here fighting. It’s not easy, but we’re doing it. We’re doing it and we’re creating start-ups. We’re trying to do good. We don’t always succeed, but we try.”
“We’re doing our best and we’re going to continue doing our best, but we need you guys to go out and tell people the truth, and the truth is that Israel is the land of the Jews and we’re here to stay, and we’re not going to be silent anymore,” said Bennett.