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Benjamin Netanyahu apologises to Israeli Arabs after controversial election day comments

Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has apologised for comments he made during his recent ...
Newstalk
Newstalk

20.01 23 Mar 2015


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Benjamin Netanyahu apologises...

Benjamin Netanyahu apologises to Israeli Arabs after controversial election day comments

Newstalk
Newstalk

20.01 23 Mar 2015


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Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has apologised for comments he made during his recent election campaign.

In a statement, Mr Netanyahu said, "I know what I said a few days ago hurt Israel's Arabs. It was not my intention. I'm sorry for that.

"My actions as Prime Minister, including the investment in minority sectors, proves the opposite. I think, equally, no element outside of the State of Israel will intervene in the processes of our democracy.

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"I see myself as a Prime Minister of each and every one of you, of all citizens of Israel, without any distinction of religion, race and gender," he added.

On election day, Mr Netanyahu had said in a Facebook post that, “the right-wing government is in danger. Arab voters are going en masse to the polls. Left-wing NGOs are bringing them on buses.”

Mr Netanyahu's Likud party scored a resounding a victory in last week's election.

Likud earned 30 out of parliament's 120 seats. Exit polls had shown a tight race with the opposition Zionist Union, but it the centre-left party ended up with just 24 seats.

The win came after Mr Netanyahu tacked to the right in the final days of campaigning, including abandoning a commitment to negotiate a Palestinian state.

In a four-day pre-election blitz, he made a series of promises designed to shore up his Likud base and draw voters from other right-wing and nationalist parties.

As well as saying 'no' to a Palestinian state, these included a pledge to go on building settlements on occupied land.


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