Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar addressed a joint session of Paraguay’s National Assembly.
The President of the Senate, Basilio Gustavo Núñez and the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Raúl Latorre also addressed the joint session.
Minister Sa’ar’s Full Speech:
“It’s a true honor to address both Houses of Paraguay’s esteemed National Congress.
I come here from Jerusalem – as the Foreign Minister of the State of Israel – the one and only Jewish state.
We are at a historic moment in Israel-Paraguay relations.
Israel and Paraguay are not simply friends.
We are sister nations:
Somos Naciones Hermanas.
Paraguay is a beautiful country.
You have a special culture:
Personal warmth and humility are part of your national identity.
Abraham, our forefather, was known for his generous hospitality and humility.
You have clearly inherited these Biblical traits.
I feel Paraguay’s warmth in the generous hospitality I received today in Asunción.
I appreciate that.
Paraguay experienced two difficult wars: in 1864 and in 1932. It lost much of its population and territory in these tragic wars.
After regional and civil wars – and brutal dictatorships – Paraguay built a booming, modern democracy.
History presented Paraguay with tough challenges.
You proved that you are patriots that know how to sacrifice for your homeland when it is necessary.
You know how to fight on multiple fronts.
I understood on this visit after I asked questions, you have a secret formula in Parguay: The women.
We faced a difficult war on seven fronts over the past two years.
We know that you understand us.
The Jewish people have had a painful past too.
After 2,000 long years of exile, murder and persecution – we established the State of Israel.
Paraguay voted for its establishment at the United Nations in 1947.
Paraguay was among the first countries to recognize Israel.
The Jewish people are a nation that remember.
We will never forget your role in that historic vote.
The partnership between Israel and Paraguay is long-term and strategic.5
We signed a very important MOU on security cooperation.
This is a clear expression of our strategic ties.
Paraguay is developing defense capabilities.
Israel’s defense industry has experience and capabilities that we want to share our friends, with you.
And we will.
Our governments cooperate closely. But I believe that we can and must strengthen economic and people-to-people ties.
I arrived today with a business delegation of senior government officials, representatives of companies, and heads of major economic organizations.
We want to deepen our economic cooperation – in water technologies, advanced agriculture, cyber, renewable energy and more.
Paraguay’s economy is strong and growing. We believe in it. We want to be a part of your success story.
Paraguay’s projected economic growth for 2025 stands at 5.3%.
Our bilateral trade is also rapidly increasingly.
There are about 11,730 kilometers separating Asunción and Jerusalem.
The distance is great.
The journey here is long.
But our hearts are close.
**
Distinguished Members,
This is more than just a partnership of interests.
It’s a warm friendship. It’s an alliance of believers – of Jews and Christians – in an ancient tradition based on the Bible.
At the heart of this tradition, is Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish people.
Jerusalem, is the beating heart of the Jewish people.
It’s not just a city. It’s a symbol.
It’s the fulfillment of more than a three-thousand-year-old dream.
Our ancestors prayed toward Jerusalem every day, for 2,000 years in exile.
It is our eternal capital. Yet there are many who try to deny our connection to the history of Jerusalem.
They try to challenge our sovereignty over it.
They deny our historical, Biblical roots to Jerusalem – Hebron is still Hebron, Shiloh is still Shiloh. Everything has stayed the same since the Bible.
The archeological findings in the City of David show beyond any doubt – the Jewish people are indigenous to this ancient land.
We were in Jerusalem a long, long time ago. Three thousand years ago in the time of King David – and before that.
And we are in Jerusalem now, to stay, forever.
Only Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem ensures the freedom of worship for all three religions – Jews, Christian and Muslims.
I want to share a story.
When I was a young Cabinet Secretary in 1999, Ariel Sharon was the Foreign Minister.
Sharon later became Prime Minster. By the way, the Prime Minister then, was also Benjamin Netanyahu.
Minister Sharon told me about a visit to the Vatican where he met Pope John Paul II.
Immediately when he entered, the Pope asked him:
“Foreign Minister, do you know the difference between Terra Sancta and Terra Promissionis?”
He didn’t give the Foreign Minister time to answer.
He immediately said:
“Holy – for all three religions.
Promised – only to the Jews.”
Distinguished Members,
In the book of Psalms, King David writes: “If I forget you Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten”.
We will never forget Jerusalem.
We are grateful to former President Horacio Cartes for his decision in 2018 to move Paraguay’s embassy to Jerusalem.
We commend President Peña for his decision to move Paraguay’s embassy to Jerusalem, which he did in his visit last December 2024.
Two Presidents of Paraguay laid stones in Jerusalem’s ancient walls.
In his speech at Israel’s Knesset in Jerusalem, President Peña said:
“Paraguay knows where the truth stands. While the international community may be timid or ambiguous, Paraguay fully embraces the just cause of Israel. Not because it is easy – but because it is righteous”.
Distinguished Members,
Paraguay is righteous!
There are now seven embassies in Jerusalem.
We hope to see many more nations follow in Paraguay’s historic footsteps. We already know about a few that will do it soon.
**
Distinguished Members,
Israel is confronting a unique phenomenon:
Terror States.
These are not simply terror organizations.
When terror organizations gain control over a territory and population they become terror states.
They use the full resources of a country to support their jihadist vision.
They weaponize the suffering of their own people.
International aid flows into these areas.
The terror states take over the aid to build weapons and military infrastructure.
When they need more terrorists, they use the aid to pressure families.
They take over education systems to radicalize a new generation of jihadists.
Terror states use ordinary government activities such as taxes and fuel sales for terrorism.
They drain their populations financially to pay for their terror operations.
Serving as a terrorist in the army of terror – is becoming the most profitable job inn terror states.
To be a Hezbollah terrorist in Lebanon is more beneficial than serving in the army.
Terror organizations use small arms and suicide bombs.
Yet terror states use ballistic missiles, tunnel networks and huge armies.
Their military capabilities look like those of real states.
The difference between a terror organization and a terror state is similar to the difference between Neo-Nazis and the Nazi regime, in Germany.
Neo-Nazis exist today, but they do not control territory and population. The Nazi regime did, and that allowed it to carry out terrible crimes.
Terror states are extremely difficult to uproot when they take hold.
They embed themselves deeply into civilian life.
We saw this on full display when America and the Western alliance fought the terror state of ISIS.
ISIS controlled a vast territory and a population.
It tried to form an Islamist caliphate.
It took great efforts and a heavy price to fight the ISIS terror state.
Distinguished Members,
Israel now faces three terror states in the Middle East:
Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen.
Hezbollah built its terror state after Israel withdrew from South Lebanon in 2000.
In Gaza, Hamas overthrew the Palestinian Authority and took control after Israel unilaterally withdrew in 2005.
Hamas built thousands of kilometers of underground terror tunnels in Gaza.
It turned Gaza into a terror kingdom.
It took over Gaza’s resources and aid from international organizations and used them for terror.
It used it to build a terror state above and below the ground. It includes a big arsenal of rockets and drones to fire at Israel.
In Yemen, the Houthis built a powerful army with a massive arsenal. They did so after the world held back the Saudi-led coalition in 2018.
This also happened with Iranian instruction, training, and financing.
Today, terror states do not just focus on the areas they control.
They threaten the region and even the world.
The Houthi terror state is carrying out modern piracy in the Red Sea.
It terrorizes the international shipping lanes of the Red Sea.
It takes sailors hostage and undermines the freedom of navigation.
Terror states cooperate between themselves as a terror network.
After Hamas committed the October 7th massacre, Hezbollah and the Houthis began attacking Israel too.
But this cooperation goes far beyond the Middle East.
It expands to Africa, Latin America and beyond.
Along the Horn of Africa, we see the Houthi threat spreading.
The Houthis are working closely with al-Shabab in Somalia.
Al-Shabab is considered the most well-funded and dangerous branch of al-Qaeda.
In South America, criminals are building narco-terror alliances with the Middle East terror states.
The nexus of this network is Venezuela.
Venezuela destabilizes the region by driving a refugee crisis.
It serves as a base for Hezbollah terror operatives.
It hosts an Iranian weapons production facility.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has said openly that Venezuela is part of “the axis of resistance.”
He said that this axis exists in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
When he says this, we should believe him.
The terror states in Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen have been weakened. But they have not yet been dismantled.
The world is a better place today without Hezbollah’s Chief of Staff Ali Tabatabai.
The head of the terror army was a mass-murderer. He had American and Israeli blood on his hands.
He was directing the efforts to rebuild Hezbollah’s terror army. He was eliminated yesterday.
IDF operations against Hezbollah are not a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty.
The very existence of the Hezbollah terror state as the strongest armed force in Lebanon – is the violation of Lebanese sovereignty.
As long as Hezbollah is not disarmed – Lebanon will remain de-facto under Iranian occupation.
Over the past year – since the ceasefire – Hezbollah has been working to restore its strength and to rearm, after the heavy blows it suffered from Israel in 2024.
As long as Hezbollah is the strongest military force in Lebanon – Israel has no security, and Lebanon has no future.
We would be very glad to see the Lebanese government implement its decision and dismantle Hezbollah’s arsenal.
But the truth is that this is happening in a very minor way.
In fact, Hezbollah is rearming more than it is disarming.
Iran continues to support these efforts.
Its helping its terror state proxies expand their reach far beyond the Middle East.
Our fight against this network is shared. It demands that we work together – for the sake of freedom.
Dealing with the network of terror states requires adapting our geopolitical thinking.
Terror states are re-writing international borders. The whole concept of international borders has changed, in fact.
Western democracies must join forces in combatting this dangerous phenomenon.
Against the axis of terror – the alliance of liberty must rise!
The West can learn from Israel’s experience fighting terror states in the Middle East.
Paraguay has taken important steps in this direction.
We commend Paraguay’s moral decision to expand its terror organization designation to include the so-called “political” wings of Hamas, and Hezbollah.
Paraguay also designated Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a terror organization.
This is yet another example of the moral dimension in Paraguay’s foreign policy.
We call on other countries to follow suit.
Paraguay and Israel stand together in the fight for freedom. The future belongs to the alliance of liberty!
*
Distinguished Members,
President Peña is one of the most impressive leaders in Latin America and on the international stage.
He was the only Latin American leader to attend President Trump’s summit in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Under his leadership, Paraguay has stood firmly by Israel on the international stage.
Paraguay has issued 65 declarations of support for Israel since October 7th.
This is incredible.
We won’t forget it.
I want to thank the Members of this Esteemed House for your tremendous support for Israel.
Thank you for your moral clarity.
We will continue standing side by side, shoulder to shoulder.
I know that we will accomplish even more together!
This is truly a historic time for the relationship between our nations.
¡Viva Paraguay, viva Israel!
¡Siempre estaremos con ustedes – con el pueblo de Paraguay!
We will always stand with you – with the people of Paraguay.
Muchas Gracias!”
Related Topics
