Thank God that the fate of Israel and of the Jewish people is not decided in this hall.

This is not a dramatic development, as Israel also favors a Middle East clean of nuclear weapons, when no threat will exist. The Iranian issue is what the UN is dealing with. The message is clear: Iran poses an immediate and terrifying global threat and it is good that the world has come to its senses.

From now on, nothing is impossible for Israel, which is a normal country like any other. We won't wait another half a century to sit on the Security Council.

This has been probably one of the most tragic events to hit Israel certainly since the assassination of Prime Minister Rabin. Sharon is not just a leader who is very respected, he's also a leader who is very much loved by the people.

These are steps that could not have happened even two years ago. It would have been unthinkable, suicidal for us even to try them.

We should not be so detached from reality as to treat an advisory opinion as though it were binding, and binding Palestinian obligations as though they were nonexistent. This is not a recipe for progress, it is a sure recipe for failure.