Netanyahu Says He Can't Tolerate the Intolerant

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told about 300 local community leaders today that threats against Israel by Iran should be taken seriously, comparing Iran's anti-Jewish stance to Nazi Germany.

"If there's something that I can say here at the Museum of Tolerance, we cannot be tolerant of the intolerant," he said during a short speech at the museum. "We cannot be tolerant of fanatics. We want a world of acceptance of others."

The museum, which is devoted to the Holocaust, is operated by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which describes itself as one of the world's biggest Jewish human rights organization.

Netanyahu said the anti-Jewish rhetoric come from Iran is comparable to Adolph Hitler's effort to eradicate Jews.

"These people are out to destroy a section of humanity called the Jewish people," he said. "We will not let them, we will expose, and we shall fight them, and we shall beat them."

He said the threats from Iran should not be taken lightly.

"When somebody says that they are going to annihilate you, you take them seriously and prepare, and warn, and make an issue of it."

He called it "outrageous" that such threats could be "accepted with virtual silence."

"The mere statement, this brazen approach, that one can call for the liquidation of the Jewish State and people don't get excited about it, means that goal entrenches and re-entrenches in the minds of the fanatics and they think they can get away with it."

Netanyahu, who arrived in Los Angeles Tuesday, attended the premiere of an Israel tourism film that night at Paramount Studios, then flew to Northern California, where he signed an agreement Wednesday with Gov. Jerry Brown in Mountain View to develop joint projects and conduct mutually beneficial research in California and Israel.

He returned to the Southland Wednesday and attended a fundraiser in Malibu. Traffic restrictions imposed to accommodate his motorcade caused a five- mile traffic backup on southbound Pacific Coast Highway between Malibu Canyon Road and the Santa Monica (10) Freeway because of restricted access to Carbon Canyon.

More traffic delays occurred today as Netanyahu was driven from the museum to Los Angeles International Airport for the return trip to Israel.

--City News Service