- Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during an annual meeting with journalists in Tel Aviv November 29, 2010, marking the U.N. vote on November 29, 1947 to partition Palestine which paved the way for the creation of the State of Israel on May 15, 1948. Netanyahu said on Monday leaked U.S. diplomatic cables had exposed widespread Arab fear of Iran's nuclear programme and vindicated his priorities in peacemaking. (Getty Images / REUTERS/Nir Elias )
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In meeting with journalists prime minister estimates WikiLeaks leak did not damage Israel, expresses hope that Arab leaders would tell their people what they say behind closed doors about desire for attack on Iran.
November 29, 2010 (KATAKAMI / YNET) --- "This is an historic day for the relationship between journalism and diplomacy," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday following the uncovering of hundreds of thousands of documents by the WikiLeaks website. In a meeting in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu told journalists "your job will become much harder to do, as will ours."
The documents revealed, among other things, that many Arab leaders called on the United States to attack Iran. "If the exposure causes the region's leaders to refrain from saying what they think in private talks, then we have a problem," Netanyahu said.
"But if the leaders make the statements publically there will be a significant change. When leaders are willing to tell their people the truth it promotes peace." The prime minister added that "peace based on truth has a lasting chance."
According to Netanyahu, the leak will cause documents to be exposed to less people. "Cables leak. We in Israel have already learned this and have adapted ourselves to this reality."
He noted that this new reality caused the government to narrow down meetings to two or four people. "Each person you add raises the chance for a leak," he noted.
"The greatest threat to peace is the Iranian regime's arming race, and what is most important is that
many leaders and governments in the Middle East realize this threat. There is a gap between what is said publically and was is said behind closed doors," the prime minister stated.
"Leaders realize there is a new threat and a new understanding. I don't remember there was such understanding in the Middle East (in the past). I hope leaders will have the courage to tell their people what they said about Iran publically."
Netanyahu also addressed the peace process and blamed the Palestinians of the current stalemate. He noted that the process does not depend solely on Israel. "The Palestinians are the ones who did not take steps." (*)
