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Last update - 22:18 05/07/2009
Netanyahu: We have consensus on two-state solution
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Palestinian 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his cabinet Sunday that the government has won "broad national consensus" in Israel for the concept of a two-state solution, hailing it as a major achievement of his 100-day-old coalition.

But the prime minister also lashed out at his detractors, opening the weekly meeting by saying that not only did his government not get a customary 100 days of grace, he in fact had not received "a single day of grace."

Netanyahu outlined the achievements of his government so far, placing at the head of the list the "establishment of a unity government," because of which he has "achieved a wide national consensus on the idea of two states for two peoples."
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For the past two decades, the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians has been based on the concept of two states peacefully existing side by side. In the run-up to his election earlier this year and in the weeks immediately after he took office, Netanyahu drew fire for his reluctance to pledge his support for Palestinian statehood. In a speech last month, however, the prime minister said that he backed a demilitarized Palestinian state.

Netanyahu said Sunday that the infusion of "real meaning" into the two-state solution was one of the most important achievements of his government so far.

"The Palestinians will have no choice but to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, the [Palestinian] refugees issue will be resolved outside of Israel, and Israel will be entitled to defensible borders with full demilitarization of the Palestinian state," he said.

He also listed to other achievements - "quiet in southern Israel and power of deterrence."

"I have ordered that Israel respond to every rocket, and that is what is happening," Netanyahu told his ministers, referring to the rocket fire from the Gaza Strip into Israel's southern towns.

But while Netanyahu has reversed his stance on the issue of a Palestinian state, another sticking point in Israel-U.S. relations - the construction of settlements in the West Bank - appears to remain unresolved.

Information Minister Yuli Edelstein said that Netanyahu had stressed during the morning meeting that Israel "has made no commitments to the Americans regarding the freezing of construction in Judea and Samaria."

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said he would Monday discuss with a U.S. envoy a compromise over calls for an Israeli settlement freeze and seek ways to promote regional peace.

Barak, who last met envoy George Mitchell on Tuesday in New York, travels to London later Sunday for another round of talks aimed at narrowing a rift with U.S. President Barack Obama, whose administration has demanded a halt to settlement activity.

The defense minister told reporters he was aiming for a "broader understanding with the United States on diplomatic moves, including a comprehensive regional agreement".

Barak said Israel was also seeking "a way to translate" the 2003 road map peace plan into "a path acceptable to us, the United States and others".

After last meeting Mitchell, Barak made a link between any Israeli agreement to limit settlement expansion and progress on Arab states "normalizing" relations with Israel.

Barak has publicly raised the possibility Israel might temporarily refrain from starting new building projects - while continuing many under way - in settlements in return for initial steps towards a regional peace agreement.

Related articles:
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  • Full text of Netanyahu's foreign policy speech at Bar Ilan
  • Syria: Netanyahu's policy has everything but peace
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      1.   Just hope that at least this very minimum is genuine... 12:28  |  Esther 05/07/09
      2.   Esther #1 it`s not minimum - it`s maximum 13:09  |  Aussie Michael 05/07/09
      3.   Perplexed: Is Barak a FM too ? 13:22  |  Nora 05/07/09
      4.   Natanyah-u preaching to the believers. 13:38  |  Labhras 05/07/09
      5.   I`ve learned a lot from Haaretz postings about Australia... 14:01  |  Josh 05/07/09
      6.   Meaning 14:10  |  Iain 05/07/09
      7.   Bibi`s interpretation of two states 14:28  |  Tzfonit 05/07/09
      8.   #4 14:46  |  George Kaplan 05/07/09
      9.   #3 They are dealing with occupied territory, Nora. 15:06  |  Johnboy 05/07/09
      10.   Netanyahu 15:07  |  Antoine Doinel 05/07/09
      11.   #2 One word describes your attitude, Aussie Michael 15:08  |  Johnboy 05/07/09
      12.   Iain #4 from the "head in the sand" NZ 15:12  |  Aussie Michael 05/07/09
      13.   Consensus? What consensus? 15:18  |  Axel 05/07/09
      14.   Consensus? What consensus? 15:18  |  Axel 05/07/09
      15.   Jack Kiesler 15:38  |  Shimon Ben-David 05/07/09
      16.   #4labarse of arabia and an excuse for the ira ruling eire 15:42  |  vhardman 05/07/09
      17.   Huh, you achieved or gave in? 15:45  |  Titus 05/07/09
      18.   The Bantustein Republic of Palestine 15:46  |  Norman Bates 05/07/09
      19.   three words describes your attitude Aussie Michael 15:53  |  arik 05/07/09
      20.   Lack of "grace"period stems from belief that the 15:54  |  Witness 05/07/09
      21.   Netanyahu is what he has always been.... 16:01  |  edgar 05/07/09
      22.   Smoke and mirrors 16:15  |  Bazmann 05/07/09
      23.   Well, that`s a pretty funny first paragraph! 16:27  |  Johnboy 05/07/09
      24.   Ya, Tzfonit #7... you probably have it right... 16:37  |  Esther 05/07/09
      25.   HUBRIS 16:40  |  Iain 05/07/09
      26.   Incredible 16:53  |  Froy 05/07/09
      27.   #22 - Smoke & Mirrors 17:08  |  Yitz 05/07/09
      28.   After another 100 days he will "achieve" formulating another idea 17:14  |  S 05/07/09
      29.   he has consensus to on attending Rav O. Yosef`s kin`s wedding 17:20  |  rimminy 05/07/09
      30.   They have the oil.. 17:48  |  Tony Silver 05/07/09
      31.   Shalom Esther, Don`t expect more of Bibi. 17:49  |  Tzfonit 05/07/09
      32.   Natanyahu needs to REALISTIC. Palestinians Exist !! 18:04  |  Tony Silver 05/07/09
      33.   #18 N Bates 18:34  |  George Kaplan 05/07/09
      34.   2 state solution 18:37  |  elise 05/07/09
      35.   yey no.32! yey Netanyahu! Yey Israel! 19:12  |  ameneyman 05/07/09
      36.   yey no. 33 33 33 yeyNetanyahu 33 not 32 19:45  |  ameneyman 05/07/09
      37.   And where will the settlers move to? 20:03  |  Mark Lincoln 05/07/09
      38.   no matter 20:33  |  oz 05/07/09
      39.   Palestinian consesus 20:36  |  patriot 05/07/09
      40.   do you remember 20:47  |  oz 05/07/09
      41.   Time for Likud to throw Bibi out and elect a new leader 20:54  |  Safta M 05/07/09
      42.   no. 37 Where would they move? 21:06  |  ameneyman 05/07/09
      43.   # 41 safta 21:27  |  Axel 05/07/09
      44.   Mark Lincoln 21:56  |  TonyL 05/07/09
      45.   translation 22:02  |  Brent 05/07/09
      46.   The sound of his own voice 22:30  |  Ussishkin 05/07/09
      47.   Concensus of Posters on this Blog 00:04  |  Nevada_len 06/07/09
      48.   BS - Likud Rejects Palestinian Statehood 00:39  |  Jordan 06/07/09
      49.   Bazmann 01:46  |  Jasper 06/07/09
      50.   This solution 02:40  |  Derek 06/07/09
      51.   Consensus on 2 03:29  |  Jasper 06/07/09
      52.   It is not up to Netanyahu 06:42  |  jude newman 06/07/09
      53.   Netanyahu never agreed to two state solution 06:46  |  Butros Dahu 06/07/09
      54.   #52 Exactly so, Butros 09:24  |  Johnboy 06/07/09
      55.   This is a sad joke 21:03  |  Abe 06/07/09
      56.   # 52 to jude in brisbane (2nd try) 07:24  |  eric 07/07/09
      57.   you gotta admit; the man`s got ALOT of gall...(2nd try) 07:58  |  eric 07/07/09
      58.   Yea #52, Boo Eric 17:45  |  Katie 07/07/09
      59.   # 58 well coming from you, katie 09:41  |  eric 09/07/09
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