Iran is the "most potent force of militant Islam" and Europe should be wary of possible Iranian attacks on its soil, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Thursday during a state visit to Bulgaria.
Speaking to reporters in the Black Sea city of Varna after meeting with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, Netanyahu said radical Islam is a threat to the world, and that Israel has recently revealed a number of Iranian plots to carry out attacks in Europe.
Netanyahu traveled to Varna for a meeting Friday of the Craiova Forum, which includes the prime ministers of Bulgaria, Greece and Romania, and the president of Serbia.
Ahead of his trip, Netanyahu said he wants to strengthen ties with European countries and "change the hostile and hypocritical approach of the European Union" toward peace in the Middle East.
Netanyahu's visit to Bulgaria is part of his policy of having Israel apply to join regional alliances in the European Union with the aim of undermining the anti-Israel policy that often characterizes EU diplomatic moves.
In a joint statement with Borisov in Varna, Netanyahu said, "We are part of the same civilization, a civilization that values liberty, peace and progress, and today this civilization is under attack, most notably by the forces of militant Islam. Militant Islam attacks all of us. It attacks Arabs. It attacks Europeans. It attacks Israelis. It attacks everyone.
"The most potent force of militant Islam is the Iranian regime. It is devouring one nation after the other – in Syria, in Lebanon, in Iraq and elsewhere. And it's killing civilians around the world.
"We uncovered recently several Iranian attempts to carry out terrorist attacks on European soil and we stand together in this battle against terrorism and against militant Islam.
"This is not merely a battle for the future of our countries, but for the future of our common values and our common civilization, and by cooperating, we are stronger. We are stronger together."
Netanyahu said Israel and Bulgaria have developed "excellent" security cooperation.
"We're discussing ways to further that, including in certain military activities, and even in military endeavors, manufacturing of weapons systems and other ideas that we are discussing together," he said.
"This visit also enables us to further our cooperation in trade, in cyber, in health, in science, much more. I believe that there is much we can do together.
"Israel is a leading force in technology in the world. We are a leader in cybersecurity, smart mobility, digital health, and just about every field. Every field is changing today because of technology," Netanyahu said.
The Prime Minister's Office said that in meetings with the prime ministers of Bulgaria, Greece and Romania, Netanyahu is expected to broach the possibility of all three countries moving their embassies to Jerusalem.
