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Last update - 18:00 14/06/2009
PA official: Netanyahu faces 'yes or no' decision on peace
By Barak Ravid and Mazal Mualem, Haaretz Correspondents, and Haaretz Service
Tags: Israel News, Palestinians 

Hours before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was to deliver a major foreign policy address on Sunday evening, Palestinian officials said that a "yes or no" decision faces the Israeli leader regarding Middle East peace.

"What's required from Mr Netanyahu is a yes or a no - two states, accept agreements signed and to stop settlement activities including natural growth," said Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, himself at loggerheads with Hamas, has said talks with Israel cannot resume until Netanyahu halts settlement and accepts a two-state solution.
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"We will indeed listen to the speech very carefully," Palestinian Erekat said. "We hope that for a change the prime minister, Mr Netanyahu, will be clear, precise, focused and to the point."


Netanyahu is expected to devote a more significant part of his greatly anticipated foreign policy speech to Tehran's nuclear threat, officials close to the premier said, in the wake of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's electoral win Saturday.

The officials added that this is a golden opportunity for Netanyahu to stress the issue before the world, after having called for years to stop Iranian nuclearization.

In the address, which Netanyahu will deliver Sunday evening at Bar Ilan University, the prime minister is expected to announce his adoption of the road map peace plan and a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

The speech comes in the wake of tremendous pressure from U.S. President Barack Obama on Netanyahu to back the establishment of a Palestinian state and declare a freeze on West Bank settlement construction.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak, a senior coalition partner of Netanyahu's, told fellow Labor ministers on Sunday to lower their expectations ahead of the address.

"The speech will be very cautious, very vague, and [you] should lower expectations ahead of it," Barak said at a meeting.

Netanyahu met with Barak and President Shimon Peres over the weekend for consultations about his speech. Peres and Barak reportedly pressed Netanyahu to announce in the speech his acceptance of the road map and willingness to recognize a Palestinian state with security limitations.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu vowed Friday that he would not permit the establishment of a Hamas-ruled Palestinian state in the West Bank.

"We will not allow the establishment of a Hamas state in the West Bank as well," Netanyahu told the European Union policy chief Javier Solana in Jerusalem.

The prime minister's message to Solana may be considered another hint that he does not intend to announce any dramatic policy changes in the address.

A government source in Jerusalem, who has been informed of the details of the prime minister's conversation with Solana, said Netanyahu did not speak specifically about the content of his speech, but presented his positions on a number of issues it is expected to address.

"I am ready to immediately renew talks with the Palestinian Authority," Netanyahu told Solana. "Each side will present its positions and we will see what progress we make," he added. However, Netanyahu did not speak specifically about a Palestinian state or a two-state solution.

Netanyahu reiterated to Solana Israel's security demands, including demilitarization, control of air space and control of border crossings.

At one point in the conversation, Netanyahu mentioned the interview Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas gave to the Washington Post, in which he said the onus was entirely on Netanyahu and the Palestinian Authority was under no pressure from the United States.

"It would be a mistake for the United States and the EU to give the Palestinians the feeling that they are not required to meet their obligations, such as fighting terror. All sides have to do their part, so do the Arab countries. Israel must not be required to do everything with regard to the settlements, too," Netanyahu told Solana.

Netanyahu reiterated to Solana that "the demand to freeze construction in the settlements is unrealistic and in opposition to previous agreements and understandings under which Israel operated."

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      1.   But Fatah state in the West Bank is ok? 08:07  |  WORLD 14/06/09
      2.   Fatah & Hamas. 08:09  |  Mario Sala 14/06/09
      3.   Very well, REGIME CHANGE is Obama`s homework 08:37  |  Nour 14/06/09
      4.   The PLO will complain no matter what is in the speech! 08:45  |  ameneyman 14/06/09
      5.   So, what is new? 08:51  |  Mark Lincoln 14/06/09
      6.   He wants peace by controlling all bor4ders and air space? 08:52  |  Palestinian Brit 14/06/09
      7.   Free and Fair elections 09:14  |  Iain 14/06/09
      8.   Bibi speech must leave no ambiguity in rejecting dhimmitude 09:18  |  Joseph.E 14/06/09
      9.   M. Lincoln, Barak in 2000 was serious re Pal state 09:49  |  Eve 14/06/09
      10.   in short total domination same like gaza. true paranioa 09:55  |  muslim-- 14/06/09
      11.   Pal Brit, I agree, Federation with Jordan is best solution 10:03  |  Eve 14/06/09
      12.   Iran 10:03  |  Bronson 14/06/09
      13.   Very timely subject, whether Obama likes it or not. 10:10  |  Fortuna Benmayor 14/06/09
      14.   #6 Pal Brit 10:12  |  Bronson 14/06/09
      15.   Iran is the first, second and third most important issue 10:27  |  Realist 14/06/09
      16.   I hope that Netanyahu will not fall into the trap of two states 10:27  |  Zev 14/06/09
      17.   Poor Netenyahu 10:28  |  Arab 14/06/09
      18.   no two State? 10:28  |  John of Jordan 14/06/09
      19.   Bibi - Tell the truth, put the cards on the table and 10:39  |  Binyamin Zeev 14/06/09
      20.   Let Netanyahu use the old diversion trick - the Iran threat... 10:41  |  Maureen Ann 14/06/09
      21.   Hooray Bibi! 10:45  |  Nechama 14/06/09
      22.   We`ll Keep Our Aid 10:52  |  Jack Olson 14/06/09
      23.   Let Bibi Squirm 10:58  |  MB 14/06/09
      24.   "realist" settlement expansion is first and rest is warmongering 10:58  |  muslim-- 14/06/09
      25.   Fatah and Hamas terror organizations not prepared for peace 10:59  |  Baruch Gold 14/06/09
      26.   Ahmadinejad is Bibi`s best friend 11:02  |  peacelover 14/06/09
      27.   Bibi speech must not satisfy western backed jihadists . 11:12  |  Joseph.E 14/06/09
      28.   Israel is so rejected in the ME. 11:18  |  US citizen 14/06/09
      29.   REALLY? after he`s supposedly worked on it for weeks... 11:29  |  eric 14/06/09
      30.   Nothingyahu 11:29  |  Ben Gurion 14/06/09
      31.   Will Bibi holds his own or give into western backed jihadism? 11:41  |  Joseph.E 14/06/09
      32.   here here Mark lincoln 11:44  |  jc 14/06/09
      33.   America is ready to have a large, malignant tumor removed 11:52  |  Natallie Durson 14/06/09
      34.   focus on... what? 11:55  |  robert costa 14/06/09
      35.   act now against Iran nuke installations 11:58  |  Joseph.E 14/06/09
      36.   lincoln 12:07  |  oz 14/06/09
      37.   Say it, Bibi. I dare you. 12:14  |  Tzfonit 14/06/09
      38.   Netanyahu is gutless 12:22  |  Gully Foyle 14/06/09
      39.   wings 12:23  |  oz 14/06/09
      40.   Pal Brit, I agree, Federation with Jordan is best solution 12:26  |  Eve 3rd try 14/06/09
      41.   # 15 Tzfonit 12:53  |  Joseph.E 14/06/09
      42.   Palestinian Brit, Germany, Japan were demilitarized after WWII 12:57  |  Rob 14/06/09
      43.   And that`s supposed to be a breakthrough, is it? 13:06  |  Johnboy 14/06/09
      44.   Israeli reservation # 14 to the "road map to Peace" 13:28  |  David D 14/06/09
      45.   the recipe of Bibi`s speech 14:02  |  dani.a 14/06/09
      46.   A suggestion to PM Netanyahu. 14:39  |  Stephen. 14/06/09
      47.   The messenger of bad news 15:05  |  maoriboy 14/06/09
      48.   Johnboy # 18 Subject To The 14 Reservations, Of Course 15:16  |  Jeff Northridge 14/06/09
      49.   Ahmadinejad`s "victory" pleases Netanyahu 15:31  |  WHG 14/06/09
      50.   Netanyahu......Speech 15:43  |  The Teacher/Instruct 14/06/09
      51.   Again - Can we have some decency? 15:59  |  decencyaboveall 14/06/09
      52.   Netanyahu is going to say exactly the same as during the election 16:06  |  Chris Linthwaite 14/06/09
      53.   Naked state. 16:12  |  Bazmann 14/06/09
      54.   Chris Linthwaite`s predictions 16:35  |  Tzfonit 14/06/09
      55.   Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Prime Minister, your speech 16:36  |  Gil 14/06/09
      56.   Two States 17:54  |  Rodger 14/06/09
      57.   Two States, Reality and History 17:56  |  MichaelF 14/06/09
      58.   #7 - Iain 17:58  |  MichaelF 14/06/09
      59.   `67 borders for Gaza and West Bank NOW!! 17:59  |  Arie 14/06/09
      60.   No, he can`t 17:59  |  Yonatan 14/06/09
      61.   #46 - Chris Linthwaite 18:01  |  MichaelF 14/06/09
      62.   #49 Gil - Do you seriously think 18:03  |  Yonatan 14/06/09
      63.   #50 Arie, clarification please? 18:16  |  Nour 14/06/09
      64.   Formula of a Good Speech 18:24  |  Shimon Cleopas 14/06/09
      65.   #25 US Citizen Liar Liar Pants On Fire 18:36  |  The Warrior 14/06/09
      66.   History: Peres gave the PLO everything they asked 18:37  |  yeiel 14/06/09
      67.   #.50 Arie. Interesting. 18:43  |  Stephen. 14/06/09
      68.   Paradoxically... 19:11  |  Cliff 14/06/09
      69.   Question 19:17  |  Ann 14/06/09
      70.   He has already answered 19:20  |  Mark Lincoln 14/06/09
      71.   Palestinian State 19:26  |  sfg 14/06/09
      72.   If no peace, then it will be war 19:36  |  Witness 14/06/09
      73.   another subtle threat? 19:39  |  ameneyman 14/06/09
      74.   muslim 10 19:47  |  ChanahS 14/06/09
      75.   #54 Tzfonit 19:48  |  Chris Linthwaite 14/06/09
      76.   PA 19:50  |  OZ 14/06/09
      77.   Arie--Jordan does not want the WB.Egypt 19:51  |  Labhras 14/06/09
      78.   Netanyahu faces `yes or no` decision on peace 19:52  |  Wedi Mendefera 14/06/09
      79.   #61 MichaelF 19:54  |  Chris Linthwaite 14/06/09
      80.   us citizen 22:34  |  patriot 14/06/09
      81.   #61 Yet he could have formed that coalition, Yonatan 07:54  |  Johnboy 15/06/09
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