"All of Israel is Ours" Tzipi Hotovely

On Thursday Tzipi Hotovely, Israel’s new deputy foreign minister, spoke defiantly to the international community saying that Israel does not owe any apologies for its policies citing Tanach and her belief that it belongs to the Jewish people.

Hotovely’s speech was an example of the influence of the right wing in Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s new government.

Hotovely, 36, is one of the young hawks in Netanyahu’s Likud party who support construction of Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria and opposes giving up land to the Palestinians. Netanyahu’s slim one-seat majority means that these lawmakers could complicate any attempt to revive peace talks.

Netanyahu also serves as the acting foreign minister, but Hotovely is currently the country’s top full-time diplomat.

Hotovely’s first speech to Israeli diplomats included her saying Israel has tried too hard to appease the world and must stand up for itself.

“We need to return to the basic truth of our rights to this country,” she said. “This land is ours. All of it is ours. We did not come here to apologise for that.”

Hotovely, an Orthodox Jew, spoke in English later and implied that she would try to rally support for Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria.

“We expect as a matter of principle of the international community to recognise Israel’s right to build homes for Jews in their homeland, everywhere,” she said.

Hotovely will be managing the ministry’s day-to-day functions, but Netanyahu will remain in charge of foreign policy.

Netanyahu angered western allies in the recent election campaign when he said he would not let there be a Palestinian state on his watch. He has since reneged on that statement, telling the visiting EU foreign policy chief that he remains committed to a two-state solution on Wednesday.

Netanyahu’s spokesman, Mark Regev, declined comment on Hotovely’s speech, but said Netanyahu’s statements Wednesday reflected his policy.