PM Netanyahu’s remarks at the start of today’s Government meeting

  Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Type: Press Releases  Publish Date:  22.02.2026

“In the vision I see before me, we will create an entire system, essentially a 'hexagon' of alliances around or within the Middle East. This includes India, Arab nations, African nations, Mediterranean nations (Greece and Cyprus), and nations in Asia that I won't detail at the moment. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Sunday, 22 February 2026), at the start of the Government meeting [translated from Hebrew]:

 “We have a unique and, in my opinion, historic alliance with the United States, both nation-to-nation and through my personal relationship with President Trump. This alliance does not mean that we are not seeking additional alliances; on the contrary, we are cultivating them constantly. This week, expression will be given to the special relationship that has been forged over recent years between Israel and the global power that is India, and between myself and its leader, Prime Minister Modi. We are personal friends; we speak frequently on the phone and visit one another. I have visited India, and Modi has visited here. We waded together in the waters of the Mediterranean, and much water has flowed since then in the Mediterranean, the Ganges, and the Jordan, though less in the Jordan. In any case, one thing has happened: The fabric of this relationship has grown tighter, and he is coming here so we can tighten it further through a series of decisions related to strengthening cooperation between our governments and countries. This includes economic, diplomatic and security cooperation. I want to say something regarding the diplomatic aspect: In the vision I see before me, we will create an entire system, essentially a 'hexagon' of alliances around or within the Middle East. This includes India, Arab nations, African nations, Mediterranean nations (Greece and Cyprus), and nations in Asia that I won't detail at the moment. I will present this in an organized manner. The intention here is to create an axis of nations that see eye-to-eye on the reality, challenges, and goals against the radical axes, both the radical Shia axis, which we have struck very hard, and the emerging radical Sunni axis. All of these nations share a different perception, and our cooperation can yield great results and, of course, ensure our resilience and our future. So, on Wednesday, the Prime Minister of India will arrive. He will deliver a speech at the Knesset, and I am sure you will all be there. We will also hold an innovation event in Jerusalem and visit Yad Vashem together. I should also note an additional point of special cooperation: We will promote cooperation in high-tech, AI, and quantum computing. I say AI and quantum not because they are the future, but because they are the present. We, of course, want to be among the world's leading nations in these fields. A week ago, we passed a decision to also promote the alternate airport in Ziklag. The ink on that decision is not even dry yet, and Minister Regev, at my request, is convening a meeting after our having concluded the moving ceremony at the Officers' Training School, after which we traveled to Ziklag together with Almog Cohen. First of all, the Northern Negev landscapes are incredibly moving. You can see plainly that it is ready for planning and implementation. Indeed, it turns out that by cutting bureaucratic processes, we can move through planning in just half a year and proceed to issuing the tender. We are going to make history. We are going to establish an additional airfield, while simultaneously developing Ramat David. It appears that in Ziklag, it is much faster and easier to do. We will also need to move on Ramat David and we will cut the process there as well. We want both of these airfields. We will eventually need a third one, I want it to be at sea, but for now, we are developing these two. This is a model for cutting bureaucracy and streamlining processes, which I know each of you is capable of, and I thank you for that contribution. Today, we are bringing another important decision, the planning of a new community in the Negev, as well as another community near Kiryat Gat, designated for the Haredi population. The Haredi population is growing and is in need of housing. This is part of the ongoing and immense development momentum in the Negev. We still have much to do there, and we will do it together."