by Jacob Kornbluh

Via: jpupdates.com

Israel’s Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer told the Israeli American Council (IAC) last night that Israel will never allow a nuclear Iran and will take any necessary measures to defend itself.

Iran “is the single most important issue facing Israel,” Dermer said. “We need to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapons capability – not just nuclear weapons – and I can assure you that the Prime Minister of Israel is not going to allow Iran’s regime to develop nuclear weapons. I can assure you that Prime Minister Netanyahu will do whatever he must do to defend the Jewish State.”

Dermer was the keynote speaker at the IAC’s sixth annual gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. Approximately 1,000 IAC supporters from around the country, most of them Israeli-Americans, packed the ballroom for an inspirational evening that also featured Noam Bardin, Chief Wazer at Google, who made history last year when Google’s acquisition of the map app Waze became the second most lucrative high-tech deal in Israeli history.

Dermer’s comments on Iran at the IAC Gala came in the days after Israel intercepted a ship from Iran, carrying 40 short-range missiles and a major weapons cache. Israel says the capture is a “game changer” in the effort to show the world Iran’s real intentions.

In his IAC address, Dermer, a longtime advisor to Netanyahu and a rising diplomatic figure, also discussed ongoing peace talks and underscored Israel’s demand that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish State. “The people of Israel don’t want a piece of paper, they want a real peace, and genuine peace, a peace that’s based on mutual recognition,” he said. “Palestinians ask the Israeli government, the Israeli People, to recognize a Palestinian state. Well, the Palestinians are going to have to recognize the Jewish State of Israel.”

Among the distinguished guests were numerous Israeli and American dignitaries, heads of Jewish and Christian organizations, and high-profile IAC supporters such as Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson and Beverly Hilton owner Beny Alagem. The honorees of this year’s IAC Gala were Miri and Isaac Shepher, founders of Life Alert and longtime activists and philanthropists in the Israeli-American community. The Chair of the Gala was philanthropist Gila Milstein, who together with her husband Adam Milstein presented the award to the Shepher, to a standing ovation.