With prosperity comes socioeconomic problems that Israel must confront, Prime Minister Netanyahu said Monday at a special Knesset session to commemorate Zionist leader and Likud inspiration Zeev Jabotinsky.
"When the state was founded in 1948, the quality of life wasn't higher than surrounding the states,Since then we've flourished. We've become a technological superpower.
"But,with prosperity comes socioeconomic problems that the state must address".
"Jabotisnky said existence starts with the 'iron wall',But in order for there to be an iron wall we have to build it and it costs money."
Speaking on recent protests against the high cost of living in the country, Netanyahu put reducing hunger and poverty at the top of his priorities, but stressed that,
"The state should stop poverty but cannot limit success and pursuit of happiness, Jabotinsky believed in a free market and not just competition for its own sake but because it is just."
"A healthy economy is based on a vibrant private sector. We cannot cut down the tree from which we pick fruit".
"I believe in Jabotinsky's method, that a democratic state can absorb shocks and include them to promise endless opportunities for improvement.
"That's what we're doing now, We're fixing mistakes of years of injustice".
"Jabotinsky's view is correct. Not only does social justice not oppose a free market, social justice depends on the free market."