ABOUT THE INVASION IN RAFAH WITH ISRAELI TROOPS ON THE GROUND THERE. ABOUT THE TIME LINE FOR THIS WAR AND ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE U.S. AND ISRAEL RIGHT NOW. HAVE A LISTEN. >> MR. PRIME MINISTER THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME. >> THANK YOU FOR COMING. >> THERE ARE REPORTS NOW THAT THE ISRAELI ARMY IS ADVANCING INTO RAFAH. CAN YOU TELL US THE STATE OF PLAY AND WHAT THE PLAN IS AT THIS HOUR? >> WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO WIN THIS WAR. WE HAVE TO DESTROY HAMAS' FIGHTING FORMATIONS. THEY HAVE FOUR TERRORIST BATTALIONS LEFT IN GAZA. WE CAN'T LEAVE THEM THERE, THEY'RE RECONCUR THE GAZA STRIP, SET UP THE MILITARY POWER AGAIN AND THE PROMISE THEYVOWED TO COMMIT THESE SAVAGE MURDERS AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. AGAIN, THE BEHEADING OF WOMEN, RAPING OF WOMEN, KIDNAPPING OF CHILDREN, BURNING OF BABIES. THEY PROMISED TO DO IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, SO WE CAN'T LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT. THE WAY TO AVOID IT IS TO DESTROY THOSE REMAINING TERRORIST BAH TATTALIONS. SO WE'RE DOING IT, DOING IT CAREFULLY. RIGHT NOW HALF A MILLION PEOPLE HAVE VACATED RAFAH, THEY GOT OUT OF THE FIGHTING ZONE BECAUSE WE ASKED THEM TO LEAVE. >> WHERE DO THEY GO? >> OUTSIDE OF RAFAH, AWAY FROM THE FIGHTING ZONES. HAMAS IS DOING EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO KEEP THEM IN HARM'S WAY, INCLUDING SHOOTING THEM IF THEY TRY TO LEAVE. WE DO EVERYTHING TO GET THEM OUT OF HARM'S WAY. TEXT MESSAGES, PHONE CALLS, LEAFLETS AND THEY MOVE. IT'S IMPORTANT. >> DO WE EXPECT A FULL-SCALE INVASION AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? >> I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS A RESPONSIBLE STEP BY STEP ACTION WE'RE TAKING. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO ENABLE THE CIVILIAN POPULATION TO LEAVE. THAT'S BEEN OUR MODUS OPERANDI FROM THE BEGINNING. THAT'S WHY IF YOU LOOK AT THE RATIO OF CIVILIANS TO COMBATANTS KILLED IN THE WAR, IT'S PERHAPS THE LOWEST IN HAD MODERN URBAN WARFARE, CONTRARY TO THE REPORTS HEARD. THE U.N. REAA -- READJUSTED HOW MANY CIVILIANS WERE KILLED. EVERY LIFE LOSS IS A STRATEGY. BUT WE'VE ACHIEVEDMUCH LOWER NUMBERS AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING THIS WITH VERY LOW CIVILIAN DEATHS. >> AND THERE'S THE PERCEPTION YOU CAN DO MORE TO PROTECT CIVILIANS IN GAZA. >> NO ARMY HAS DONE MORE. THE ONE WHO SAYS THAT IS JOHN SPENCER, HEAD OF URBAN WARFARE AT WEST POINT SAYING NO ARMY IN HISTORY HAS GONE TO THE LENGTHS ISRAEL IS GOING TO TO PREVENT CIVILIAN DEATHS, LOSING THE ELEMENT OF YOU SURPRISE, ENABLING THE ENEMY TO ORGANIZE BUT WE DO IT BECAUSE WE DO CARE ABOUT CIVILIAN CASUALTIES. AND WE HAVE A SITUATION NO ARMY HAS FACED. 35,000 TERRORISTS. AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO IT BECAUSE WE'RE COMMITTED TO IT AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO IT. >> THERE'S A REPORT TODAY THAT THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION IS PUSHING TO RELEASE $1 BILLION OF WEAPONS AID TO ISRAEL. CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT AND DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHEN THAT WILL HAPPEN? >> I HOPE IT HAPPENS SOON. I APPRECIATE THE HELP WE RECEIVE FROM THE UNITED STATES FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR. PRESIDENT BIDEN CAME HERE, SENT THE BATTLE CARRIER GROUPS AND WE HAVE WEAPONS. YES, WE HAVE A DISAGREEMENT ON RAFAH. BUT WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO -- YOU JUST HAVE TO DO WHAT IS REQUIRED TO ENSURE YOUR SURVIVAL AND YOUR FUTURE. WE CANNOT CONTINUE INTO THE FUTURE BY HAVING HAMAS RETAKE GAZA. IT'S NOT -- NOT ONLY WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS VICTORY FOR HAMAS IT WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS VICTORY FOR THE IRAN TERROR AXIS BECAUSE IRAN IS TRYING TO ENVELOPE US WITH A NOOSE OF DEATH AND THAT VICTORY IS A VICTORY AGAINST IRAN, FOR THE MODERN ARAB STATES. WHO ARE NOT OPENLY BUT UNDERSTAND THEIR FUTURE IS INVOLVED ALSO WITH OUR VICTORY AGAINST HAMAS. SO WE ARE DOING WHAT WE HAVE TO DO AND I HOPE WE CAN SEE EYE-TO-EYE WITH THE UNITED STATES. WE'RE TALKING TO THEM BUT ULTIMATELY WE DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO PROTECT THE LIFE OF OUR NATION AND PRESENT SUCH SAVAGERIES IF FROM BEING REPEATED AGAIN AND AGAIN. >> IS THE U.S. WITHHOLDING THE HEAVY BOMBS, 5000 POUND BOMBS? >> SO FAR IT HAS. I THINK THAT'S IN THE PUBLIC. I HOPE WE CAN OVERCOME THAT. I SAID ON HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY, WHICH WAS JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, I SAID I APPRECIATE THE AMERICAN HELP BUT I CAN'T ALLOW HAMAS TO THREATEN US WITH THIS MASS MURDER. INDEED, IF THEY COULD, THEY WOULD HAVE DONE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO US 80 YEARS AGO IN THE HOLOCAUST. WE WERE COMPLETELY DEFENSELESS AND MURDERED 6 MILLION OF OUR PEOPLE, A THIRD OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. HAMAS IF THEY COULD GET AWAY WITH IT, THEY WOULD DO THE SAME THING. THE REASON THEY CAN'T GET AWAY WITH IT IS WE PUSHED THEM BACK. WOULD THE UNITED STATES LEAVE AN ENEMY AT THE BORDER? NOT THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY, BUT A FEW HUNDRED YARDS AWAY FROM ITS BORDER AFTER IT COMMITTED THE EQUIVALENT OF TWENTY 9/11 MASSACRES ON ONE DAY. 10,000 HELD HOSTAGE BY THESE CRIMINALS. IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN. YOU KNOW THE UNITED STATES WOULDN'T DO IT AND WE WOULDN'T DO IT EITHER. SO WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. I PARAPHRASE, A NATION'S GOT TO DO WHAT A NATION'S GOT TO DO. >> CAN YOU WIN THE FIGHT WITHOUT AMERICAN SUPPORT? >> THE ANSWER IS YES. ALTHOUGH WE VALUE AMERICAN SUPPORT, WE WANT AMERICAN SUPPORT, I'LL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO GET AMERICA SUPPORT, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR SURVIVAL AND OUR SECURITY. WHEN WE HAVE TO, WE STAND ALONE AND AGAINST THE SAVAGES WE HAVE TO WIN, WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. BUT YOU KNOW, OUR FIRST PRIME MINISTER DECLARED THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL AGAINST AMERICAN OPPOSITION. SECRETARY OF STATE MARSHALL, AT THE TIME, OPPOSED THE INDEPENDENCE OF ISRAEL. AND ACTUALLY, AMERICAN IMPOSED AN ARMS EMBARGO ON ISRAEL AT THE TIME. BUT THE PRIME MINISTER DID WHAT HE HAD TO DO. IN 1981, THE PRIME MINISTER DESTROYED SADDAM HUSSEIN'S AUTOMATIC BOMB FACTORY IN IRAQ BECAUSE THAT BOMB WAS AIMED TO DESTROY ISRAEL. AND RONALD REAGAN, THE PRESIDENT AT THE TIME SLAPPED AN ARM'S EMBARGO ON US, WITHHELD F-16s FOR THREE MONTHS BUT WE DID WHAT WE HAD TO DO. OVER TIME PEOPLE SEE YOU DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE DISAGREEMENTS BUT RECOGNIZE THOSE DECISIONS WERE THE RIGHT DECISIONS. AND I THINK THEY'LL RECOGNIZE OVER TIME THE DECISIONS WE'RE MAKING NOW ARE THE RIGHT DECISIONS. >> HOW IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN THESE DAYS? >> I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR MORE THAN THESE DAYS. KNOWN HIM FOR OVER 40 YEARS. IT'S BEEN A FRIENDSHIP THAT'S OFTEN LACED WITH DISAGREEMENTS. PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID IT OPENLY AND I SAY IT OPENLY, IT HASN'T BLOCKED THE FRIENDSHIP. IN THE END I'M THE PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL. I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE ONE AND ONLY JEWISH STATE AND HOPE TO DO IT AS FAR AS WE CAN WITH AGREEMENTS BUT SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO DOEN WHEN THERE IS DISAGREEMENTS, WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO ENSURE THE SURVIVAL OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL. >> DID IT FACTOR INTO YOUR DEC DECISION OR CALCULUS AT ALL, THE U.S. THREAT TO WITHHOLD WEAPONS? >> IT DID, BUT IT WASN'T A DECISION I MADE LIGHTLY. YOU KNOW, I RESPECT THE UNITED STATES, THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT, WHOEVER IS IN POWER, CERTAINLY JOE BIDEN, THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE. BUT THE RESPONSIBILITY IS TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO SECURE THE FUTURE. TO SECURE OUR BASIC SECURITY. SO I DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO AND, YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT WE CAN IRON IT OUT. IN FACT, ALL THE DISAGREEMENTS WE HAD OVER THE YEARS INCLUDING NOW IN THE GAZA WAR, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST DISAGREEMENT BUT HOPEFULLY WE'LL OVERCOME IT. >> THERE HAVE BEEN HIGHER GRADES ON THE DISPERSEMENT OF HUMANITARIAN AID WHAT TOOK SO LONG TO GET THE AID IN? >> FOR ONE THING HAMAS IS LOOTING IT. AND STILL IS LOOTING IT EVERY DAY. WE GET THE AID IN THROUGH GAZA THROUGH MULTIPLE CROSSINGS WE OPENED, LAND ROUTES WE OPENED, AIR DROPS WE FACILITATED. AND NOW THROUGH A MARITIME ROUTE I INITIATED. SO OUR POLICY FROM THE START, THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR, OUR POLICY WAS YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE THE BASIC HUMANITARIAN AID REQUIRED BY INTERNATIONAL LAW BUT IN THE LAST SIX WEEKS WE CHANGED IT TO NOT JUST BASIC HUMANITARIAN AID BUT FLOODING GAZA WITH HUMANITARIAN AID AND WE'RE DOING THAT AND RIGHT NOW THE DIFFICULTY WE HAVE -- TWO ACTUALLY ONE IS HAMAS IS LOOTING. AND THE SECOND IS THAT ONE OF THESE CROSSINGS, THE RAFAH CROSSINGS WE WANT TO SEE IT OPEN AND WE WANT EGYPT TO RELEASE, TO MAKE SURE THAT MAXIMUM HUMANITARIAN AID FLOWS THROUGH THIS CROSSING AND OTHER CROSSINGS AS WELL AND HOPE WE CAN COME TO AN UNDERSTANDING WITH EGYPT. >> WHEN FOR RAFAH? >> YESTERDAY IF WE COULD. WE'RE NOT HOLDING UP THE OPENING OF RAFAH. I HOPE EGYPT CONSIDERS WHAT I'M SAYING NOW BECAUSE I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR -- NOBODY SHOULD HOLD THE PALESTINIAN POPULATION HOSTAGE IN ANY WAY. AND I'M NOT HOLDING THEM HOSTAGE, I DON'T THINK ANYONE SHOULD. >> AS FAR AS THE WAR -- >> WE'RE FIGHTING NOT THE PALESTINIAN POPULATION, EVEN THOUGH MANY SUPPORTED THE MASSACRE. WE'RE FIGHTING THE TERRORIST EMBEDDED IN THOSE POPULATIONS THAT HAMAS IS USING AS HUMAN SHIELDS. >> YOU MENTIONED FOUR BATTALIONS LEFT. WE'RE SEEING THE RETURN OF HAMAS IN THE NORTHERN CITIES YOU HAD ALREADY CONCURRED. THE HOSTAGES HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED. SO IS IT REALLY GOING WELL? >> HALF OF THE HOSTAGES HAVE BEEN RETURNED. AND MANY DIDN'T BELIEVE WE'D GET THAT. AND WE'LL GET THE OTHER HALF I'M COMMITTED TO GETTING ALL OF THEM BACK. IT'S HEARTBREAKING TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THEM IN THE TERROR DUNGEONS AND THEIR FAMILIES. SO HAMAS IS CYNICAL, EVIL. WE ARE FIGHTING SHEER EVIL. I THINK A TERM THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN USED, IT HASN'T CHANGED, THEY WERE SHEER EVIL THEY ARE SHEER EVIL. BUT HOW DO YOU DO THAT, HOW DO YOU FIGHT THEM, DEFEAT THEM? THE FIRST THING TO UNDERSTAND IS THEY'RE NOT JUST A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION THEY HAVE A TERRORIST ARMY WITH BATTABATTAL. IF YOU DON'T DESTROY THE BATTALIONS A LEADER CAN ORDER PEOPLE TO DO THIS ATTACK, THAT ATTACK. SO YOU HAVE TO SMASH THE BATTALIONS. AFTER YOU DO, YOU HAVE TO COME BACK AND MOP UP, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING IN OTHER PARTS OF GAZA. IT'S NOT OTHER UNTIL YOU SMASH THE BATTALIONS. HOW LONG DOES THAT TAKE? IT TAKES A FEW WEEKS TO GO INTO RAFAH, WE ARE. A CAREFUL WAY TO ALLOW THE EVACUATION OF THE POPULATION. BUT THE INTENSE PART OF THE FIGHTING THE SMASHING OF THE BAHH BATTALIONS IS WEEKS AWAY. AND THEN YOU HAVE A MOPPING UP OF THE REMNANTS. >> SO A MATTER OF WEEKS UNTIL THIS IS OTHER? >> THE RAFAH OPERATION IF CONTINUED AS PLANS IS A MATTER OF WEEKS NOT MONTHS AND YEARS. >> THEN WHAT AFRATER RAFAH? >> YOU NEED THREE THINGS YOU NEED ORGANIZED FIGHTING, THEN THE MOP UP, THEN SUSTAINED DEMILITARIZATION BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO REGROUP -- >> THAT'S HAPPENING, RIGHT? >> THAT'S HAPPENING NOW BUT WE HAVEN'T -- STILL THE CHIEFTONS ARE STILL THERE. WE GOT RID OF FOUR -- NO, WE GOT RID OF TWO OF THE FOUR COMMANDERS OF HAMAS. ANOTHER TWO TO GO. WE'LL GET THEM. WE WON'T REST UNTIL WE GET THEM. SO YOU HAVE TO GET THE CHIEFS, YOU HAVE TO GET THE BATTALIONS, THEN YOU HAVE TO MOP UP. ALL OF THAT WE'RE ACTING NOW TO DO. ONCE THAT IS OVER, YOU HAVE EFFECTIVELY THE END OF THE WAR, CERTAINLY THE END OF THE INTENSE PART OF THE WAR. WHAT YOU NEED TO RECONSTRUCT GAZA, HAVE A DIFFERENT FUTURE SO GAZA DOESN'T POSE A THREAT TO ISRAEL ANYMORE, YOU NEED TO HAVE THREE THINGS. ONE SUSTAINED DEMILITARIZATION, THAT I THINK CAN ONLY BE DONE BY ISRAEL INTERVENING WHEN IT CAN WHEN IT SEES ANOTHER TERRORIST RESURGENCE. THE SECOND THING YOU NEED IS A CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATION THAT IS NOT HAMAS AND NOT BEHOLDEN TO THE DESTRUCTION OF ISRAEL. I THINK THAT CAN BE DONE WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF ARAB COUNTRIES AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND YOU NEED RECONSTRUCTION, THAT CAN BE DONE WITH THE HELP OF IMPORTANT PLAYERS IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY BUT YOU HAVE TO CLEAR GAZA OF HAMAS. YOU CAN'T HAVE A FUTURE FOR THE PALESTINIANS IN GAZA OR FUTURE FOR ISRAEL OR BROADER MIDDLE EAST PEACE IF HAMAS EMERGES VICT VICTORIOUS. IF IT'S UNDEFEATED IT EMERGES VICTORIOUS. THAT'S A DEFEAT FOR ALL OF US. WHAT DO HAMAS, WHAT DO THEY WANT? THEY CHANT DEATH TO ISRAEL, DEATH TO AMERICA. WHAT DOES IRAN WANT THAT SPONSORS HAMAS, DEATH TO ISRAEL, DEATH TO AMERICA. THERE ARE SUPPORTERS ON THE CAMPUSES CHANTING THE SAME THINGS, DEATH TO AMERICA, DEATH TO ISRAEL. UNBELIEVABLE. I KNOW THAT DOESN'T REFLECT THE MAJORITY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. WHEN ASKED WHO DO YOU SUPPORT, ISRAEL OR HAMAS? 80% SAY THEY SUPPORT ISRAEL. 20% STILL A HUGE NUMBER SAY THEY SUPPORT HAMAS. THE SAME 20% WHO SABIN Y THAT B LADEN WAS RIGHT. THEY DON'T HATE AMERICA BECAUSE OF ISRAEL IT'S THE OTHER WAY AROUND. THEY HATE THE IDEA OF DEMOCRACY, LIBERAL SOCIETIES. THEY VIEW US ALL AS COLONIAL IMPLANTS. WE'RE HERE IN THIS COUNTRY, SITTING IN THIS CITY WHICH KING DAVID DECLARED AS OUR CAPITAL 3,000 YEARS AGO. SO I THINK EVERYTHING IS SPUN IN THE OTHER WAY BUT WE'RE FINDING FOR THE TRUTH AND FIGHTING FOR OUR FUTURE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. >> THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER AND WHAT ISRAEL WANTS TO SEE. WHETHER ISRAEL WANTS TO OCCUPY GAZA AND WHO YOU REALLY WANT TO SEE OPERATE IN THAT POWER VACUUM. WHAT SHOULD IT LOOK LIKE? >> IT'LL BE A POWER VACUUM. FIRST OF ALL IT SHOULDN'T BE A POWER VACUUM THAT HAMAS IS CONTROLLING, THAT'S NOT A POWER VACUUM. THOSE WHO TELL US STOP THE WAR NOW, LEAVE HAMAS IN PLACE, THOSE FOUR BATTALIONS IN RAFAH ARE SAYING TO REGROUP, RECAPTURE GAZA AND THREATEN YOU AGAIN. THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. I'D LIKE TO SEE A NON-HAMAS CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATION WITH AN ISRAELI OVERALL MILITARY RESPONSIBILITY THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD WORK. BUT THERE'S ONE PRECONDITION. YOU KNOW, THE DAY AFTER HAMAS IS THE DAY AFTER HAMAS. THE DAY AFTER HAMAS IS DESTROYED, YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS. YOU CAN'T LEAVE HAMAS THERE AND TALK ABOUT THE DAY AFTER BECAUSE YOU WON'T HAVE A DAY AFTER. YOU'LL HAVE A REPETITION OF THE SAME HORRORS. >> CAN YOU TALK ABOUT A TWO-STATE SOLUTION AFTER YOU REMOVE HAMAS. >> THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION THAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT WOULD BE THE GREATEST REWARD FOR THE TERRORISTS THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE. 80% OF PALESTINIANS IN GAZA AND IN THE WEST BANK SUPPORT THE SAVAGERY. GIVING THEM A STATE WOULD DO TWO THINGS. ONE IT WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS REWARD, HISTORIC PRECEDENT OF GIVING THOSE PEOPLE WHO COMMITTED THE WORST MASSACRE AGAINST THE JEWISH PEOPLE SINCE THE HOLOCAUST ON A SINGLE DAY, GIVING THEM A PRIZE. AND SECOND A STATE IMMEDIATELY TAKEN OVER BY HAMAS AND IRAN AND IT WOULDN'T BE -- IT WOULDN'T ADVANCE THE PURPOSES OF PEACE. IT WOULD JUST BE A LAUNCHING GROUND FOR A FUTURE WAR AGAINST ISRAEL. I THINK THAT'S NOT IN THE WORKS AND MOST ISRAELIS BY NOW, A HUGE NUMBER, WOULD SAY DON'T DO THAT. I WOULD ARGUE IF WE DEFEAT HAMAS WE SHOULD STRIVE FOR SOMETHING THAT I LONG BELIEVED WE COULD DO IN THE MIDDLE EAST, THAT IS HVE THE PALESTINIANS HAVE ALL THE POWERS THEY NEED TO GOVERN THEMSELVES AND NONE OF THE POWERS THAT COULD THREATEN ISRAELI'S SURVIVAL. THAT MENS THE MILITARY RESPONSIBILITY IN THE PALESTINIAN AREAS ADJACENT TO ISRAEL WOULD BE LEFT TO ISRAEL. OTHERWISE IRAN COMES BACK IN. WE LEFT LEBANON, IRAN CAME IN WITH HEZBOLLAH. IF WE WERE TO DO IT, THE SAME THING WOULD HAPPEN. THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE PALESTINIANS, ISRAEL, PEACE, BAD FOR THE WORLD, NOT GOOD FOR AMERICA. I THINK THE FORMULA I SAY, THE PALESTINIANS SHOULD HAVE ALL THE POWERS TO GOVERN THEMSELVES BUT NONE OF THE POWERS TO THREATEN US. BY NECESSITY THAT MEANS THAT CERTAIN SOVEREIGN POWERS, THE MOST IMPORTANT BEING THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OVERALL SECURITY IS MAINTAINED WITH ISRAEL. THAT'S THE SOLUTION. >> IS THE U.S. WITHHOLDING INTELLIGENCE ABOUT HAMAS LEADERS' WHEREABOUTS? >> I DON'T THINK SO. >> THERE WAS A REPORT THAT THEY WERE IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP YOU FROM INVADING RAFAH. >> I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE. ANYWAY, THE MAIN INTELLIGENCE ON PALESTINIANS AND BELIEVE ME IN A MUCH BROADER RADIUS IN THE MIDDLE EAST IS -- WE HAVE BY OUR OWN AND OSKF COURSE WE APPRECIA THE INTELLIGENCE COOPERATION. AMERICA OFTEN HELPS US. YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT ISRAEL ALWAYS HELPS AMERICA WITH A LOT OF INTELLIGENCE THAT SAVES AMERICANS LIVES IN MANY, MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. ISRAEL IS A VALUED ALLY OF THE UNITED STATES. I DON'T THINK AMERICA HAS A BETTER ALLY THAN ISRAEL. IT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T HAVE DISAGREEMENTS. DO YOU HAVE DISAGREEMENTS IN YOUR FAMILY? >> OF COURSE. >> WE HAVE DISAGREEMENTS IN OUR FAMILY, TOO. >> YOU MENTIONED IRAN AND IT RAISES THE QUESTION OF THE NEVER ENDING WAR, AND THAT IS HOW DO YOU STOP ALL OF THIS WITHOUT STOPPING IRAN, WHICH IS FUNDSING HAMAS AND HEZBOLLAH AND OTHERS? >> I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT. I THINK ULTIMATELY WE HAVE TO. WE HAVE TO CONFRONT IRAN AND PREVENT IT NOT ONLY FROM CLOSING THE LOOP OF DEATH THEY'RE TRYING TO PUT AROUND US BEGINNING WITH HAMAS, HEZBOLLAH, THE HOUTHIS, THEY 'TRYING TO ENVELOPE US AND CHOKE US BUT WE'RE FIGHTING BACK, BEGINNING WITH HAMAS AND GAZA. THIS IS NOT JUST OUR BATTLE. IT'S ALSO YOUR BATTLE. IF THEY COULD KNOCKOUT ISRAEL THEY GOT THE MIDDLE EAST. IF THEY GOT THE MIDDLE EAST THEY'RE GOING RIGHT AFTER YOU. THEY SAY IT. THEY CHANT DEATH TO ISRAEL, DEATH TO AMERICA. THEY WANT TO DEVELOP, THIS IS THE WORST PART NOT ONLY CONCUR THE MIDDLE EAST, WHICH WE'RE PREVENTING THEM FROM DOING BUT ALSO GOPPING INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILES. I DON'T THINK YOU WANT THAT. SO ROLLING BACK IRAN'S AGGRESSION, PREVENTING IT FROM GETTING NUCLEAR WEAPONS IS NOT JUST ISRAEL'S INTEREST IT'S AMERICA'S INTEREST. ALL ARAB STATES UNDERSTAND LIKE US THEY'RE IN DANGER TOO. BUT THEY'RE IN DANGER FOR A REGIME CHANGE, THEY THROW THEM OUT AND PUT THEIR PUPPETS IN THERE. BUT IN OUR CASE, THEY WANT TO DESTROY THE JEWS, THEY WANT ANOTHER 7 MILLION JEWS DEAD. >> WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE HEZBOLLAH, 80,000 ISRAELIS ARE EVACUATED OR DISPLACED FROM THE NORTH, HOW LIKELY WE SEE A WAR ON THE NORTHERN FRONT? >> WE'RE COMMITTED TO HAVING THEM RETURNED THEY LEFT BECAUSE OF THE HEZBOLLAH'S GUN FIRE ON THE BORDER. WE'RE COMMITTED TO HAVE THEM BACK. WE GET THEM BACK EITHER WITHOUT A MILITARY ACTION OR WITH A MILITARY ACTION. >> BY SEPTEMBER? >> I DON'T WANT TO SAY -- I DON'T WANT TO ANNOUNCE DATES BUT THINK HEZBOLLAH UNDERSTANDS WE'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW THIS TONIGHT. >> THERE IS A DIPLOMATIC PATH THERE? >> DEPENDS ON HEZBOLLAH. THEY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE ALTERNATIVE IS VERY BAD FOR THEM. I DON'T THINK THEY WANT TO -- I THINK MANY WERE SURPRISED BY THE STRONG RESPONSE THAT WE GAVE TO THE IRAN ACCESS -- TERROR ACCESS IN GAZA AND I THINK IRAN WILL SURPRISE BY THE FAILURE OF THEIR WEAPONS TO PENETRATE ISRAEL. THEY WERE SURE THEY WOULD PENETRATE. WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE BUT THIS THE MAIN THING WAS ISRAEL TECHNOLOGY, THINGS I CAN'T TALK ABOUT THAT PREVENTED THIS. BUT IT IS ALSO PURPORTED THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SURPRISE THEM IN OTHER THINGS. SO I THINK NO ONE SHOULD UNDERESTIMATE THE RESOLVE OF ISRAEL TO DEFEND ITSELF OR THE ABILITY TO DO SO, LEAST OF ALL, HEZBOLLAH. >> WHAT ABOUT YOUR OWN RESOLVE? THERE'S A PERCEPTION THAT YOU ARE PROLONGING THE WAR FOR YOUR OWN POLITICAL POWER. >> YEAH, WELL, I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT MY FUTURE. I'M CONCERNED WITH ISRAEL'S FUTURE. I READ THE OTHER DAY IN AN ESTEEMED AMERICAN PAPER SAYING NETANYAHU WANTS THE WAR TO CONTINUE BECAUSE IF IT DOESN'T AND HE'S TAKEN OUT OF OFFICE -- >> A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL THAT WAY. GO TO JAIL. >> HIS TRIAL WOULD RESUME. MY TRIAL HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE I RESUMED OFFICE. PRIME MINISTERS DON'T HAVE ANY IMMUNITY FROM PROSECUTION. HAPPILY THE CASE IS UNRAVELING AND A FEW MONTHS AGO THE JUDGE CALLED THE PROSECUTORS IN AND SAID YOU SHOULD DROP YOUR CHIEF CHARGE, THE BRIBERY CHARGE. SO I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE TRIAL. I'M WORRIED ABOUT ISRAEL'S TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS AND I'M GOING TO DO WHAT I HAVE TO DO TO FINISH THE WAR. AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED WE COULD FINISH IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE BUT WE HAVE TO DO SO BY FINISHING THE WAR, WINNING THE WAR, THAT MEANS DESTROYING THE BATTALIONS. >> DO YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT OF YOUR OWN PEOPLE? WE ARE SEEING PROTESTS BY THE THOUSANDS DEMANDING A DEAL WHERE THEY RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NO MATTER WHAT? >> HAMAS, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY SAYS GET A DEAL AT ANY PRICE MEANS BASICALLY CAPITULATE TO HAMAS. WHAT DOES HAMAS SAY? HAMAS SAYS YOU CAN HAVE THE HOSTAGES, MAYBE BY THE WAY, BUT YOU HAVE TO STOP THE WAR, END THE WAR, GET OUT OF GAZA, LEAVE HAMAS IN PLACE TO RECONQUER THE GAZA STRIP WHICH THEY WOULD COMMIT THESE ATROCITIES AGAIN AND AGAIN. WE CAN'T AGREE TO THAT. THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND. I WILL NOT RELENT TRYING THE IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE TO GET THE HOSTAGES BACK AND WHEN WE DEFEAT HAMAS WE'LL GET THEM BACK. I THINK WE'LL GET SOME OF THEM BACK BEFORE. >> DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE THE MANDATE FROM THE ISRAELI POPULATION? >> PEOPLE DON'T LIE. YOU CAN GO IN THE STREETS AND SEE THE VAST SUPPORT THAT IS THERE. YOU WON'T KNOW IT BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS FIXATED ON THE PROTESTS, WHICH ARE FINANCED, ORGANIZED AND SO ON. BUT THEY DON'T REFLECT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE ANY MORE THAN THE AMERICAN CAMPUSES, THESE PROTESTERS, THE MOBS, DO THEY REFLECT THE MAJORITY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE? >> NO. >> NO. SAME THING HERE. THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE HERE SUPPORT A VICTORY, THEY WANT TO SEE A VICTORY, THEY WANT TO SEE HAMAS REMOVED BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THEIR FUTURE IS ONLINE. >> AT LEAST I HOPE NOT ON THE PROTESTS ON THE CLENCH CAMPUSES. GROWING ANTI-SEMITISM, EVEN BEYOND THE CAMPUSES, I WONDER WHAT YOU THINK THE SECURITY THREAT IS TO AMERICAN JEWS IS RIGHT NOW? >> IT'S SERIOUS. I'M TALKING TO MY AMERICAN FRIENDS WHO ARE JEWISH SAYING I'VE NEVER SEEN AMERICA LIKE THIS. AND MY NON-JEWISH FRIENDS ARE SAYING THE SAME THING. BUT I THINK IT ENGENDERS AN OPPOSITE REACTION. I WAS SO MOVED THE OTHER DAY WHEN I SAW THE PROTESTERS, IF YOU WANT TO CALL THEM THAT, BURNING AMERICAN FLAGS AND I THINK A UNIVERSITY IN NORTH CAROLINA THEY TOOK DOWN THE AMERICAN FLAG HOISTED ON THE FLAGPOLE THE PALESTINIAN FLAG AND AMERICAN STUDENTS, OTHER STUDENTS CAME IN, THEY TOOK DOWN THE PALESTINIAN FLAG, REHOISTED THE AMERICAN FLAG AND STOOD AROUND THE FLAGPOLE TO PROTECT THE AMERICAN FLAG. I WAS SO DEEPLY MOVED BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IT'S OUR COMMON BATTLE. >> WHAT ABOUT THE ECONOMY? IT'S DEFINITELYTAKEN A HIT AS A RESULT OF THE WAR. HOW DO YOU PLAN TO TURN THAT AROUND WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO GIVE A SPECIFIC TIME LINE ABOUT WHEN IT ENDS? >> ON THE CONTRARY I THINK THE HIT WE'VE TAKEN IS SMALL BECAUSE WE HAVE A ROBUST ECONOMY. I LED THE FREE MARKET REVOLUTION HERE 20 YEARS AGO MAKING ISRAEL A POWER HOUSE IN THE WORLD. PEOPLE ARE INVESTING NOW. WHEN WE WIN THE WAR, WE ALSO WIN THE PEACE AND THE ECONOMY. I'M HAVING PEOPLE COME IN HERE WHO SAY WE WANT TO MAKE ISRAEL THE HUB AND AN A.I. LEADER OR ONE OF THE THREE LEADERS IN THE WORLD. IT IS. WE'RE NUMBER FOUR. WE'RE NUMBER ONE PER CAPITA INVESTMENTS IN A.I. NUMBER ONE. BUT IN A COUNTRY OF 10 MILLION WE'RE NUMBER FOUR IN ABSOLUTE TERMS AND INVESTMENTS IN ADVENTURE FUNDS AND INVESTMENT IN A.I. IN ISRAEL. BUT WE CAN GO FURTHER. ISRAEL HAS A ROBUST INNOVATION ECONOMY. >> THE FUTURE IS BASED ON THE TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS AND A.I. WE'RE COMMITTED TO DOING THIS. I'M TELLING YOUR LISTENERS RIGHT NOW, YOUR AUDIENCE, THE TIME TO COME INTO ISRAEL IS NOW. WE'RE GOING TO REBOUND HUGE ONCE THIS WAR IS WON AND YOU SHOULD BE THERE NOT AT THE GROUND FLOOR BUT DON'T WAIT TO GET TO THE TOP. >> THE WAY THAT AGENCIES ARE CUTTING WORRIED ABOUT THE DEFICITS IN THE MIDDLE OF TERRORIST SPENDING. >> I WAS FINANCE MINISTER IN THE EARLY 2000s, NO ONE WANTS TO INVEST HERE, WE HAD TERROR AND ALL THAT, AND PEOPLE DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT. I SAID LOOK WE'RE GOING TO DO A REVOLUTION HERE. ISRAEL IS GOING TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO ONE OF THE MOST ROBUST FREE MARKET SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGICAL COMPANIES IN IN THE WORLD. I SAID INVEST NOW, I DON'T THINK THEY BELIEVED ME BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T. BUT THOSE WHO DID MADE A HUGE FORTUNE ERE. MANY BILLIONAIRES IN ISRAEL. I'M SAYING IT TO YOUR AUDIENCE -- >> IT'S ALSO GOTTEN CONTROVERSIAL. >> I'M TELLING YOU, ISRAEL WILL BE ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETIES AMONG THE THREE AND PERHAPS AMONG THE TWO LEADING A.I. ECONOMIES IN THE WORLD. THAT IS WORTH A LOT OF MONEY. BE PART OF IT. >> MR. PRIME MINISTER YOU HAVE BEEN THE MOST -- AMONG THE MOST VILIFIED LEADERS IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS IN THE WORLD. THREATS OF PROSECUTION FROM INTERNATIONAL COURTS. HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH ALL OF THIS? >> I'M DEALING WITH IT BECAUSE I'M NOT HERE FOR MYSELF. I'M ON A MISSION AND THAT'S TO PROTECT THE FUTURE OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE, WHO CAN ONLY HAVE A FUTURE IF THERE THERE'S A JEWISH STATE. WE'RE IN PERIL BUT WE HAVE THE RESOLVE AND THE SPIRIT TO FIGHT BACK AND WIN. I VISITED YESTERDAY WOUNDED VETERANS, THOSE WHO LOST LIMIT LIMS AND IT'S UNBELIEVABLE WHAT THEY SAY, THEY SAY WE'RE WAITING TO BE FIXED WITH AN ARTIFICIAL LEG BECAUSE I'M GOING BACK TO FIGHT WITH MY FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES BECAUSE WE HAVE TO WIN. THAT SPIRIT IS SO POWERFUL, IT'S SO POWERFUL THAT I DON'T THINK -- I KNOW NOTHING CAN STOP IT. WHAT I'M TILLING YOU IS THAT WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE VILIFY INDICATION, SLANDER, LIES, AND ABSURDITIES LEVELLED AT ME, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE LEVELLED AT ME, THEY'RE LEVELLED AT THE COUNTRY. I'M NOT AN OUTLIER. I DON'T REPRESENT MY POLICIES OR THE POLICIES OF THE EXTREME FRINGES IN MY GOVERNMENT OR THAT SPIN. I REPRESENT THE BROAD MAJORITY OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE IN ISRAEL AND MANY NON-JEWS. THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND OUR FUTURE IS ON THE LINE WE HAVE TO WIN. IF I HAVE TO TAKE THE SLAPPEDERS AND VILIFY INDICATIONS SO BE IT. IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME. >> YOUR FATHER LECTURED UNTIL AGE 100. HOW LONG DO YOU PLAN TO BE PRIME MINISTER? >> NOT UNTIL THE AGE OF 100, PLEASE. I DON'T PLAN TO BE HERE -- IT'S NOT MY PLAN. IT'S WHAT THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WANT. AND SO FAR, THEY VESTED THEIR TRUST IN ME BECAUSE I REFLECT WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS THE ESSENCE OF OUR BEING. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE -- WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE HOLOCAUST DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. THE PIECE THAT WE'VE BEGUN TO FORM AND THAT I LED IN THE ACCORDS THAT IT'S BROADENED. IT WILL ONLY BE BROADENED WITH SAUDI ARABIA AND OTHERS IF WE WIN. IF WE LOSE, NOBODY WILL BE INTERESTED IN US. VICTORY IS ESSENTIAL FOR SURVIVAL, SECURITY AND ALSO PEACE AND PROSPERITY. YOU MAKE ALLIANCES WITH THOSE WHO WIN. YOU DON'T MAKE ALLIANCES WITH THE LOSE RS AND THAT'S WHY AMON OTHER THINGS WE WILL WIN. >> ARE YOU IN TOUCH WITH DONALD TRUMP? >> NOT RECENTLY. BUT I THINK HE SENT ME A LETTER OF CONGRATULATIONS WHEN I WAS -- I THINK WHEN I WAS ELECTED. >> SO NOT SINCE OCTOBER 7th? >> NO. BUT I ALWAYS APPRECIATED THE SUPPORT HE GAVE. IT WAS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. SUPPORTED US ON RECOGNIZING JERUSALEM AS OUR CAPITOL HILL, MOVING THE EMBASSY HERE, RECOGNIZING OUR SOVEREIGNTY IN THE GO LET HEIGHTS AND I APPREC THAT. JUST LIKE I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT WE GOT FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN. I THINK ULTIMATELY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES THEY LOOK AT THE SITUATION HERE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE
