Netanyahu: 'A lot' has changed after killing of Soleimani, world's 'most dangerous terrorist'
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “a lot” has changed since the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani earlier this month, adding that his death has “dealt a devastating blow to Iran.”
Appearing on “Fox & Friends” to discuss his reaction to President Trump’s Middle East peace plan, Netanyahu referred to Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' elite Quds Force, as “the most dangerous terrorist in the world.”
“I think people are underestimating the impact of having removed the most dangerous terrorist on Earth who [was] leading the most anti-Semitic regime on the planet in its campaign of conquest, expansion, terrorism and subjugation,” Netanyahu said on Wednesday.
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Israel’s prime minister noted that Soleimani was “using the money from the dangerous nuclear deal” to take over the Middle East.
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“He was taking the money not to help the people of Iran, he was taking the money to build colonies of Iran in Iraq, in Syria, in Lebanon ... in Gaza and Yemen,” Netanyahu said.
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“And he was building these Shiite militias, which he had put in Iranian commanders to command and they were basically conquering the Middle East. That's what they were doing for Iran.”
He went on to say, “Now President Trump has taken out this arch-terrorist and this architect of Iran's aggressive empire and I think it's dealt a devastating blow to Iran.”
“We see it in the region, we see everybody recognizing the president’s determination, his resolve, his boldness and believe me, in our region, I think in every region, that really counts,” Netanyahu continued.
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On Wednesday, Netanyahu called Trump “the best friend that Israel has ever had in the White House,” highlighting Trump’s actions while in office, including moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the contested Golan Heights region and his handling of Iran.
“He’s faced up to Iran,” Netanyahu said on Wednesday. “He moved out of the dangerous Iran nuclear deal. He took out just a few weeks ago the most dangerous terrorist in the world who killed thousands of Americans and so many innocent people. He has faced up to this regime, which is the most dangerous anti-Semitic government on the planet. And nobody did that before.”
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“He did that and I think everyone in Israel recognizes that he's the best friend that Israel has ever had,” Netanyahu added.
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Following Soleimani’s death, Iranian officials have said the rogue nation no longer would abide by any of the limits of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
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The United States pulled out of the deal in 2018, a decision that was met with disappointment by allies at the U.N., where the deal was codified. The U.S. then reinstated waves of sanctions on the regime and called for other countries to join as part of what Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called a “coalition of responsible nations.”
Fox News’ Edmund DeMarche contributed to this report.