PM Netanyahu at Likud Central Committee: Unity has always been important

Speaking at Likud Central Committee meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu told the Central Committee that "unity has always been important to us, since the days of the late Menachem Begin to this very day."

"I have always aspired to form a wide unity government expressing all parts of the people. A real unity government. Unfortunately, despite my very generous offer to the Kadima chairwoman nine months ago, she did not accept it. She refused for her own reasons."

The audience responded to the remarks by booing Opposition Chairwoman Tzipi Livni.

Addressing the peace process, Netanyahu said that he hoped to see willingness on the part of the Palestinians to resume the process:

"I have just come from Egypt, and I am very encouraged by (Egyptian President Hosni) Mubarak's commitment to advance the peace process with the Palestinians."

"It's time to restart the diplomatic process, resume the peace process. It's time for everyone to join in so we can do it."

Netanyahu clarified that Israel responds to any incident of firing from the Gaza Strip:

"This government is doing and has done important things, In terms of security, you remember what happened here. There were years a Qassam would come down and then another one, and then a missile, and then another missile, sometimes mortar shells, sometimes in an open area, a constructed area. The drizzle has turned into rain and the rain eventually turned into a storm".

"We are acting differently. Our security policy is a clear policy. We will not accept firing on our territory with indifference. Any firing incident is answered, no matter where it lands. There is an immediate and firm response."

The prime minister also referred to Iranian nuclear program, calling on the international community to impose harsh sanction immediately. "This matter will definitely keep us and the entire international community busy in the near future," he said.