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Last update - 14:15 27/05/2009
Netanyahu: Arab states should normalize Israel ties now
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Likud, Israel News 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday urged Arab countries to make immediate moves toward normalizing ties with Israel and said he would offer concrete steps toward peace with the Palestinians.

Netanyahu made the plea during a debate in Knesset that came as he tries to balance international pressure to make concessions to the Palestinians with internal calls from within his hardline coalition not to budge.

"We are prepared to make, and we will make, concrete steps for peace with the Palestinians," he said.
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He said the Israeli government would abide by the terms of past agreements signed with the Palestinians though it wouldinsist on reciprocity in future peace talks with the Palestinian Authority.

"My peace policy will bring results faster than the government which was led by those sitting in the opposition today," Netanyahu said. "We will insist on reciprocity in talks with Palestinians," the premier said, "in both the demands raised as well as their implementation."

"We expect the Palestinians to make such concrete steps as well. And it would be good if Arab countries joined the peace effort and made concrete and symbolic steps toward normalization with Israel, not later, but now," Netanyahu added.

The prime minister also said that he was eager to advance economic initiatives in the agricultural field for the Palestinian territories. His government would seek to attract investments from the Gulf Arab states, Europe, and Asia in an effort to boost the Palestinian economy, Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu said that U.S. President Barack Obama backed his idea for normalization, and called it a "new and refreshing approach that totally matches our views."

Netanyahu said the Obama administration would also seek to advance "normalization" of ties between Israel and Arab government.

The prime minister, who was at the White House last week, also said that he and Obama agree the Iranian threat could create an opportunity to bring Arab countries together in a coalition of moderates, Netanyahu said.

The premier told lawmakers and ministers that he had Obama had reached understandings on key defense issues and that the U.S. administration accepted Israel's position on Iran, the prime minister told the plenum.

In reference to Iran, Netanyahu reiterated the importance of "spotting dangers in advance.... Our nation paid a huge price for failing to spot threats in advance," the premier said. "My job as premier is to protect the country's existential interests."

Netanyahu added that he was eager to "bring Arab states into the circle of peace," a goal he says is shared by the Obama administration.

"Bringing Arab states into circle of peace will strengthen Israel and bring security to the Palestinians as well," Netanyahu said.

The premier responded to catcalls from Kadima lawmakers by accusing his predecessors in the previous government of failing to bring results in its talks with the Palestinians.

In response to criticism of his economic policies, Netanyahu said these were extraordinary times, and that Israel is "functioning better than most countries" under the harsh circumstances of the global financial crisis.

Following Netanyahu to the podium, opposition leader and Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni blasted Netanyahu for "a basic misunderstanding of Israel's interests."

Netanyahu "missed a golden opportunity" by failing to declare his support for a two-state solution during his meeting with Obama in Washington last week, Livni said
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  1.   And then ... 14:53  |  Axel 27/05/09
  2.   Bibi talks too much 15:05  |  Mirqa 27/05/09
  3.   some nerve 15:17  |  lincoln 27/05/09
  4.   Livni 15:28  |  Lee 27/05/09
  5.   Bibi, just keep every inch of Israel. 15:44  |  petra 27/05/09
  6.   Separate church and state 16:07  |  Tom 27/05/09
  7.   Peace with Arabs - Illusion on Bibi`s thinking ! 17:13  |  Nikos Retsos 27/05/09
  8.   #6 Tom - Can`t separate the two 17:24  |  *BEN JABO 27/05/09
  9.   We finish from one Bush, came another one. 17:50  |  Adam 27/05/09
  10.   #7 17:51  |  harold 27/05/09
  11.   concrete steps 18:04  |  Murray 27/05/09
  12.   There is no historic right for .. 18:12  |  Antonio da Silva 27/05/09
  13.   Bibi is so funny!!! 18:24  |  Matty Groves 27/05/09
  14.   #12..just like they do from Gaza? 18:49  |  JfromC 27/05/09
  15.   Israel is in two minds and so is the world ! 19:00  |  Akram Zekaria 27/05/09
  16.   Why should they? LOL !!! 19:06  |  Robin 27/05/09
  17.   Bibi 19:08  |  paul 27/05/09
  18.   petra let you into a secret 19:12  |  juliano 27/05/09
  19.   Netanyahu is finding things difficult to grasp 19:15  |  Chris Linthwaite 27/05/09
  20.   This is cute 19:22  |  Axel 27/05/09
  21.   ben jabo 19:41  |  potobac 27/05/09
  22.   matty groves 20:08  |  ehud 27/05/09
  23.   believes 20:15  |  bar kochva 27/05/09
  24.   The goal is peace, not another Pal state 20:27  |  David 27/05/09
  25.   When noone knows what peace is, noone is going to miss it 20:41  |  Kris Lazar 27/05/09
  26.   could this not somehow be done concurrently? 21:05  |  lev elshadai 27/05/09
  27.   no existential threat 21:40  |  jeff 27/05/09
  28.   Arab states are willing 22:21  |  Janice 27/05/09
  29.   how could you believe me! 22:50  |  ezzat tamimi 27/05/09
  30.   Chris Linthwaite: Two state project dead until politicians st 23:19  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 27/05/09
  31.   Is it time for a Peace that can fire back ? 23:25  |  Akram Zekaria 27/05/09
  32.   #21 Potobac 01:28  |  *BEN JABO 28/05/09
  33.   Darh Zaidar 02:03  |  Halil 28/05/09
  34.   Arabs must recognize Israel now, and 02:07  |  Abu Yusuf 28/05/09
  35.   the zio state should stop all illegal % imoral activity 02:37  |  clue 28/05/09
  36.   Nutanyahu is out of touch with reality and with the world 02:40  |  American in NY 28/05/09
  37.   Why can one not observe? 04:41  |  Mark Lincoln 28/05/09
  38.   I think Bibi might have a bit of a problem. 05:02  |  Johnboy 28/05/09
  39.   "Normalization" is neither peace nor normalcy in Arab mindset. 06:04  |  Fortuna Benmayor 28/05/09
  40.   #35 Clue - It`s a pity you don`t have one 06:17  |  *BEN JABO 28/05/09
  41.   #37 Lincoln - still kibbitzing from afar 06:24  |  *BEN JABO 28/05/09
  42.   isreal most normalize relations with palestine 09:09  |  muslim-- 28/05/09
  43.   #26 Yeah, lev, of course it can 10:49  |  Johnboy 28/05/09
  44.   ben jabo 32 13:24  |  potobac 28/05/09
  45.   another `I want everything but will give nothing` israeli policy 14:48  |  caroline 28/05/09
  46.   #40 BEN JABO`s lack of recall. 02:44  |  Johnboy 29/05/09
  47.   #46 Johnboy conveniently ignores the content 05:02  |  *BEN JABO 29/05/09
  48.   2ND TRY #44 Potobac 05:09  |  *BEN JABO 29/05/09
  49.   American in NY 05:24  |  *BEN JABO 29/05/09
  50.   #47 Still haven`t read the report, hey, BEN? 11:00  |  Johnboy 29/05/09
  51.   johnboy 50 01:58  |  potobac 30/05/09
  52.   THIRD TRY #50 JOHNGIRL - I read the report 02:17  |  *BEN JABO 30/05/09
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