Europe: Bennett to EU envoys to stop trying to make Israel ‘commit suicide'

Economy Minister Naftali Bennett took European Union ambassadors and envoys to task on Monday, accusing their countries of using economic pressure to try to make Israel “commit suicide” instead of supporting the country in its struggle against a “river of terror.”

Bennett addressed the diplomats, representing 26 out of the 28 European Union countries, at a closed-door meeting in Jerusalem’s King David Hotel. An audio recording of some of his comments was leaked to Army Radio and published Tuesday. 

“To single out Israel, to twist our arms economically, in the hopes that we’ll commit suicide because financially we’ll get hit if we don’t - it’s immoral from my perspective,” Bennett was heard saying in the recording. “Instead of understanding… we’re the big dam in this big river of terror.”

Among those present were the ambassadors of Britain, Sweden, and Belgium, as well as representatives from the French embassy.

More: Times of Israel