Pyongyang, April 29 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK Friday gave the following answer to the question put by KCNA with regard to the reckless remarks of the defense minister of Israel hurting the dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK:

On April 25, the defense minister of Israel said, when interviewed by a media, that Israel is directly affected by the standoff between the DPRK and the U.S., and dared hurting the dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK.

The reckless remarks of the Israeli defense minister are sordid and wicked behavior and grave challenge to the DPRK.

Israel is the only illegal possessor of nukes in the Middle East under the patronage of the U.S. However, Israel vociferated about the nuclear deterrence of the DPRK, slandering it, whenever an opportunity presented itself. This is the cynical ploy to escape the world denunciation and curse as disturber of peace in the Middle East, occupier of the Arab territories and culprit of crimes against humanity.

The DPRK, from its principled stand on valuing independence, justice and peace, is fully supporting the struggle of the Palestinian people to achieve the legitimate rights including regaining of the occupied territories and establishing of an independent state with Kuds as its capital and the struggle of the Syrian and other Arab people in the Middle East to protect their sovereignties, stability and peace.

The root cause of the grave situation on the Korean peninsula is the ever-worsening U.S. hostile policy toward the DPRK and ceaseless nuclear threats, sanctions and pressure on it century after century.

The DPRK's access to nuclear weapons is the legitimate exercise of its righteous right for self-defence to cope with the U.S. provocative moves for aggression and the DPRK's nuclear force is the treasured sword of justice firmly defending peace on the Korean peninsula and in the region.

It is the steadfast will and spirit of the service personnel and people of the DPRK to give merciless, thousand-fold punishment to whoever dares hurt the dignity of its supreme leadership.

Israel would be well advised to think twice about the consequences to be entailed by its smear campaign against the DPRK to cover up the crimes of occupying Arab territories and disturbing peace process in the Middle East. -0-