In the video: Minister Eli Cohen in an interview with Tel Shalu on his weekend/Still photo: Reuven Castro
At a time when many fear widespread power outages in the event that the fighting in the north escalates even more, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Eli Cohen (Likud) wants to try to reassure and clarify: there is no reason to worry, the Israelis will not find themselves in Alta.
"The energy facilities are indeed under threat, but I say to the public: there is no room for panic. Remove worry from your hearts," the minister clarifies in an interview with "Sovsh Shalev" at the Walla Studio, adding humorously: "I didn't buy a generator."
According to him, "The energy system is functioning perfectly, and even if there is a malfunction of one kind or another - we are prepared to deal with it. We refreshed the plans and took them out of the drawers. Electricity is a source of life, for example there are ventilators in the hospitals who need it. We will know how to respond even in a horror scenario of Alta" .
But naturally, it's not just the electricity sector's emergency preparedness that keeps Cohen busy these days;
The efforts to return the abductees held captive by Hamas in Gaza also disturb him greatly.
"The government has a responsibility. Everything must be done to return the abductees home. It is clear that heavy and painful prices must be paid to free them, but not at any price. One of Hamas's demands is that we lose the war, and we cannot agree to that. I see that there are those who want us to step down The priorities of the war goals - it's not right to do that. We risked soldiers to return abductees, and we turn over every stone, also in the international arena, to return them."
"It is not correct to rank the goals of the war, no goal is more important than another."
Minister Eli Cohen at the Walla studio/Reuven Castro
Minister Bezalel Smotrich said this week that the return of the abductees is not the most important thing.
"I do not agree with his statement. At no point did the Cabinet determine that the fighting is more important than the abductees or vice versa, we are committed to achieving both goals. I meet with the families of the abductees, they are living in a nightmare. There are hundreds of people working on gathering intelligence information in order to locate the abductees, And the US, Egypt and Qatar act as mediators with Hamas in order to reach one or another conclusion."
There are those who fear that the kidnapping deal will not pass through the government, because of Ben Gabir and Smotrich.
"When the kidnapping outline arrives, there will be a majority that will support it - as happened last time.
Even last time, Ben Gabir objected - by the way, in my opinion, he objected in order for the deal to go through.
We are working to approve a deal, we have different values than those of those wrongdoers."
More in Walla!
"This injustice has become a spit in the face": the reservists and the Malashvim are angry about the conscription law
To the full article
"When an outline of abductees arrives, there will be a majority that will support it, like last time."
The families of the abductees protest in Tel Aviv/Niv Aharonson
The government strives for a "total victory" over Hamas.
What it means?
What does absolute victory look like?
"A complete victory means that Hamas is not in Gaza and does not control it. We are close to action in Rafah - it is a question of when, not a question of if. One of the members of the cabinet said: 'When there is a fire at home, you do not call a fireman to put out only three quarters of the fire, but the That's why action in Rafah is bound by reality. I heard the American Secretary of State in Lincoln talking about expanding the circle of peace - peace is made with strong people. If you are not strong, no one will make peace with you. Everyone is looking at us, around the world, and especially in the Muslim countries of the region, who want to make peace with us. Even the countries that made peace with us in the Abraham Accords did not become Zionists - they did so because they saw that it was worthwhile for them to be in contact with the State of Israel, which is strong in terms of security, economy and technology. In order to maintain the existing peace agreements, a clear decision is needed in Gaza."
"Peace is made with strong people. Our peace agreements depend on a clear decision in Gaza."
IDF forces in the Gaza Strip/IDF spokesman
During the interview, Minister Cohen also refers to the storm of the new conscription law.
"After October 7, everyone needs to understand that they need to get under the stretcher. Everyone in the State of Israel needs to do military service or national service," he says, "this is the direction we need to go, and it can be done through dialogue."
This difficult war requires the extension of mandatory service and reserve service.
This is your shift.
Why doesn't the ultra-orthodox leadership go under the stretcher?
"The challenges that lie ahead of us will affect the situation in Israel for decades to come. In order for the people who live on the northern and southern borders to return home, a much more significant military presence will be required. That is why they need to get under the stretcher. The ultra-Orthodox leaders also understand this. By talking, an agreement can be reached. The ultra-Orthodox understand this There is no choice - this is the order of the hour."
So your government will work to recruit ultra-Orthodox?
"In my opinion, it should work to recruit ultra-Orthodox, Arabs and seculars who don't enlist. We need all levels of the population there, and it can be done without divisive and divisive discourse."
The full interview - on the show "His Weekend" on Vala Plus
More on the same topic:
Gaza war
War of Iron Swords
abducted
Eli Cohen