Prime Minister Naftali Bennett visited the navy base in Haifa and the Shayetet 13 base in Atlit together with IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi and GOC Navy Vice Admiral David Saar Salma, today.
Following are Prime Minister Bennett's remarks:
"It is great to be here in Haifa with the navy – the submarines and the missile corvettes today. I would like to say that one sees in the movies the operational capabilities that I have seen today.
I am pleased that my government has concluded and signed a submarine procurement agreement, a strategic acquisition that will serve the security of Israel for years to come. We have seen an increase in maritime threats of late, in the navigation and commercial routes. I certainly see this as a challenge and it must be known that the target is the State of Israel, but not only. Therefore, I am especially pleased by the strategic cooperation that is being forged with the US – in joint naval exercises – and with other friends in the region.
I would like to thank you, commander of the navy, and the commanders and sailors that I met during the course of the day, for the hard work, 24 hours a day. You have the nicest uniforms in the IDF and you have the critical task of safeguarding the security of the State of Israel."
Prime Minister Bennett received a comprehensive briefing about naval operations from GOC Navy Vice Admiral Salma. He later toured the submarine and missile corvette flotillas.
Prime Minister Bennett and GOC Navy Vice Admiral Salma visited the Saar 6 class ship INS Magen and were briefed by missile corvette flotilla commander Capt. Erez Ben-Tzion on the tasks of the flotilla between the wars and in defending the maritime economic zone. The Prime Minister also spoke with several sailors on board the vessel.
Prime Minister Bennett then visited the Shayetet 13 base in Atlit where he sailed aboard an operational ship, watched a presentation of Shayetet 13's capabilities and spoke with unit commanders and soldiers.