'Gaza is Iran': Netanyahu Says Israel Won't Tolerate Iranian Terror Base in Gaza

Addressing the Knesset in a special session regarding the recent conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militants of Gaza, Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu said his country has the right to defend itself against all threats.

Israel has the right to defend itself against all threats... but there is no such thing as hermetic protection against rockets, Netanyahu said referring to recent clashes which killed 21 Gazans, including 18 militants, seriously wounded two Israelis and disrupted the lives of 1 million Israelis living within Gaza rocket range.

The session to review the political, economical and social failures of Netanyahu's government, was called after 40 Knesset members signed a bill mandating Netanyahu to face the House, Ynet News reported.

Responding to the claims of his opponents that reaching a settlement with Palestine could help resolve Iranian threat, Netanyahu said: There are many reasons to strike peace with the Palestinians... but to think that peace with the PA will stop Iran and its proxies is a dangerous illusion.

Make no mistake, he said. Gaza is Iran. The missiles are Iran, the money is Iran, the infrastructure is Iran and in many cases the instruction are form Iran. Gaza is a front post for Iran, he said adding that Israel will not tolerate an Iranian terror base in Gaza Strip.

In a bid to win approval, Netanyahu said the U.S. was unequivocally supportive of Israel's right to defend itself, especially in the light of a potential nuclear threat posed by Iran.

We would all like to see Iran abandon its nuclear program willingly, no one more so than Israel, than me; but my duty is to make sure that Israel can defend itself. I think I was able to make the point clear during my visit to Washington, he said.

Egyptian efforts in negotiating a ceasefire agreement between the fighting Israel and Gaza militants have put an end to the recent clashes. The cross-border fire, triggered by Israel's killing of a top Gaza militant leader on Friday, has been the worst clash between the Jewish state and the Hamas-ruled territory in months.