IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi spoke at a NATO conference in Brussels on Thursday morning on the subject of terrorism. In an address to his counterparts in foreign armies, Ashkenazi said Israel's goal is to defeat global terrorism and bring stability to the world.

"At this time, our primary goal is to defeat global terror and to bring stability and calm to the citizens of the world,” he said. The task is not simple, he explained: “Our enemies — the terrorists — are becoming more and more sophisticated, and they use every available resource in order to reach their despicable goals.”

Terrorists worldwide have much in common, Ashkenazi said: “Their activities are characterized by threats that know no bounds, attacks on the homefront and a lack of moral inhibitions.”  They are also hard to spot, as "the enemy no longer wears a uniform. He's evasive, and harder to reach.”

The battlefield is now ideological and not only physical, he continued. Terrorists are “ready to kill and be killed,” Ashkenazi said. He slammed countries that sponsor terrorism, saying, “These violent states have no morality: they do not respect human rights, international law, or the life of innocents.” He called on “moderate states” to unify in the face of extremism.

Despite the difficulties ahead, there is room for hope, Ashkenazi said: “The fact that all of you are taking part in this meeting today shows that we all understand the importance of unity and that we all have the will to deal together with the threats facing the world.”