Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely on Thursday delivered a defiant message to the international community, saying that Israel owes no apologies for its policies in Israel and citing religious texts to back her belief that it belongs to the Jewish people. Hotovely's statements were made during a ceremony marking her first day in office, which was streamed to Israel's 106 missions worldwide. Her speech illustrated the challenges Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new government will face as he tries to persuade the world that he is serious about pursuing peace with the Palestinians. Hotovely, 36, is among a generation of young hard-liners in Netanyahu's Likud party who support settlement construction in Judea and Samaria and oppose ceding land to the Palestinians. Since Netanyahu has a slim one-seat majority in parliament, these lawmakers could complicate any attempt to revive peace talks. With Netanyahu also serving as the acting foreign minister, Hotovely is currently the country's top full-time diplomat. In her inaugural address, Hotovely said 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. This land is ours. All of it is ours. We did not come here to apologize for that," she said. Hotovely, an Orthodox Jew, laced her speech with biblical references to God promising the land of Israel to the Jews. Speaking later in English, she signaled that she would try to rally global recognition for Judea and Samaria settlements, which are widely opposed. "We expect as a matter of principle for the international community to recognize Israel's right to build homes for Jews in their homeland, everywhere," she said. Hotovely will manage the ministry's day-to-day functions, but Netanyahu will remain in charge of foreign policy. Netanyahu's spokesman, Mark Regev, declined to comment on Hotovely's speech, but said Netanyahu's statements Wednesday, saying he was committed to a two-state solution with the Palestinians, reflected his policy.
