Following are excerpts from the remarks that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,  (Tuesday, 16 April 2012), made at President Shimon Peres' Independence Day reception for the foreign diplomatic corps:



"Yesterday, a day of enjoyment in Boston was turned into a day of terror. We send our condolences to President Obama, the American people and the bereaved families. On this day and on any day, Israel stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the American people. We are partners in freedom and in seeking a better future for all humanity."

"We have recently seen the results of a wild regime that possesses nuclear weapons. We have also seen that heavy sanctions are not always effective against a sufficiently determined regime. Therefore, we have an obligation to ensure that this will not happen again. If Iran achieves nuclear weapons, this will change the world. When I said this in the past, many listened and agreed, but now it is possible to agree from an additional perspective, and I think that all governments must do everything possible in order to ensure that this danger is not realized."



"We are committed to our aspiration for peace, a peace that will be based on the principle of two states for two peoples, a Jewish state alongside a demilitarized Palestinian state. But in order for the peace to last it must be anchored in security. The State of Israel must be able to defend itself by itself; its security will be a main component of any future peace agreement."