Will win war against terror, says top Israeli official

Mumbai: Terrorism is a disease that will not stop unless all like-minded nations fight against it, a top Israeli official has said, asserting that his country will win the war against terror amid the escalating tensions in West Asia.

Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, Yakoov Blitshtein, Director General of Foreign Affairs of Israel, said it was necessary to put an end to terror in Israel and all other places.

"Terrorism is a disease that we must face (fight), not only in Israel but in the entire world. This is a disease that will not stop unless all of us, like-minded countries, fight against it," he said.

Referring to the terror attack by Hamas on Israel in October 2023, Blitshtein said the country is in difficult times but shall overcome it.

"We will build new cities, new homes and bring back all the citizens to their homes, to their villages, to their kibbutz, to the cities. We will win the war against terrorism," he said.

His remarks come after Israel launched a wave of airstrikes across southern Lebanon early Sunday in what it called a preemptive strike to avert a large Hezbollah rocket and missile attack. The militant group responded, saying it fired hundreds of rockets and drones to avenge the killing of a top commander last month.

Blitshtein also visited the Chabad House in Mumbai which was attacked by terrorists in 2008. He said the attack on the Chabad House was not only on Jewish people alone but also on humanity itself.

Unfortunately, this was not the last time the Jewish people suffered terror, he said.

"But as done before, we will rise above this tragedy. The Jewish people are strong and stand together to fight back," he said.

He said the rebuilding of Chabad House shows the strength and spirit of the Jewish people.

He said all countries must understand that "it will start with us (Israel) but it will not stop unless we stop terrorism".