Netanyahu: We can surprise the doubters to reach historic peace
PM says new talks offer real chance to end Mideast conflict but continues insistence on guarantees for Israel's security before setting boundaries of Palestinian state.
By Barak Ravid Tags: Israel news Benjamin Netanyahu Mideast peaceIsrael and the Palestinians have a chance to surprise the world and strike a peace deal to end decades of conflict, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.
"We can surprise all the doubters," Netanyahu told ministers at the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.
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U.S. President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meeting in the U.S. in January 2010. |
| Photo by: (GPO) |
"But we need a serious partner," he said. "If we have a serious partner, we can achieve an historic agreement."
Netanyahu's comments follow news on Friday that Israel and the Palestinians will return to direct peace talks on September 2 after an 18-month pause, to be hosted in Washington by U.S. President Barack Obama.
Obama will hold separate meetings with Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, as well as the Egyptian and Jordanian heads of state, on September 1, with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to launch the renewed negotiations the following day.
Ahead of his trip to Washington, Netanyahu has repeatedly demanded that talks focus on guaranteeing Israel's security before moving on to determine the borders of a future Palestinian state.
"Any deal will have to be based on security arrangements and a recognition of Israel as a Jewish state," Netanyahu said.
Both Clinton and U.S. special envoy George Mitchell said over the weekend that the negotiations will aim to reach a permanent settlement and the establishment of a Palestinian state in a year. They said the negotiations will focus on all core issues: Jerusalem, borders, refugees, security, settlements and water.
Clinton noted that there will be no preconditions - this is considered a major achievement for Netanyahu, who insisted that the direct talks take place unconditionally.
In her announcement over the weekend, Clinton also did not mention the September 26 expiry of the freeze on settlement construction.
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Go sell it somewhere else .I truly see no one in your current government wants peace , so until it changes !
Bibi we doubt from you. If you really want peace then go to that direct talks and show that you want peace. Otherwise, and the worst, the whole world will talk that how right we were. And there is no way that you can silence them.
Acceptable in my opinion. As long as the same deal includes the boundaries of the new Palestinian state will be in line with 1967 internationally recognized borders and that state will have East Jerusalem as its capital. Once those basic principles for a deal are agreed upon there is one full year to work out the details.
the man or woman,who will bring peace to israel,IF at all,is not yet born. note bibi says he can become a (major) historical figure.amen to that.please,again,call our bluff.
world knows that.
Israel profits by avoiding peace. They gain land, and American aid. More importantly, Israel will make huge sacrifices with any peace. They include: (1) evacuation from most settlements, (2) loss of control over the Palestinian areas, (3) serious internal strife, particularly with the settlers, including the possibility of the IDF becoming fractured, (4) the collaspe of the Israel government. Why would Israel choose peace? What would they gain? If no credible argument is made for peace, how can anybody believe that Israel would seek peace?
Peace in civilised terms means just that but are the Arabs/Muslim s peaceful people ,looking at Sunni/Shiite internecine violence in Baghdad,Islamabad ,Karachi,Lahore ,Kandahat,Kabu l,i think not ?
Such broad brush statements reflect a most appalling bigotry.
Like it or not, Hamas is the rightful leaders of the palestinian authority. As long as they are kept out of the peace talks those talks have no meaning. Abbas is seen by the Palestinians as a traitor, he´s protected by thousand and thousand of security forces paid by USA to protect him from his own people. Is this man really the right person to speak for them ?
Netanyahu, Obama, Mahmoud Abbas- names may change in history, yet a peace deal, "historic peace" (please), has always been a hurry up and wait game.
Netanyahu will never get anyone easier to reach a deal with. However, he will blow it. No one will ever accept his conditions. He does not want peace. He wants total surrender. One day he wants no preconditions. The next he sets them.
You mean those of us who don't believe Israel actually wants anything other than a permanent Greater Land of Israel with Palestinians as serfs?
don't believe Palestinians are interested in anything other than our total genocide.
Judging by Israel's History and actions, the desire for a Jewish State has become a nothing more than a political ploy. It makes be sick to see this great religion used as an excuse to steal,oppress and humiliate people. Shame on these politicians who do not even follow the teachings of God.
It takes two to tango ...
Most Israelis are not religious, but they are still Jewish (ethnically). The Jewish state, is a state where majority of population is ethnically Jewish (exactly like German state, French state, Swedish state, etc.).
and the land belongs to Israel. There never, is, or will be a palestine. If Jews followed the book, the Muslims would not be in Israel.
You don't silence doubters in a democracy !
Netanyahu is so weak politically that I doubt he can do what is necessary to achieve peace, which is mainly to take control IDF to do what is needed to remove many of the settlers. Netanyahu has not even proven that the government is in charge of the IDF enough to even prevent the settler's so-called "price tag" acts of terrorism against the Palestinians so far, so how can we expect him to prevent what will surely be even more violent attacks by settler terrorist groups such as Kach and the Hilltop Youth in the future when the recall of settlers back to Israel begins? My guess is that the Palestinians will not be the ones who cannot maintain security, so Netanyahu may be eating his own words very soon.
Saudi Fahd plan 1982 !!!!! 1. The withdrawal of Israel from all the Arab territories occupied by it in 1967, including Arab Jerusalem; 2. The dismantling of the settlements established by Israel in the Arab territories since 1967; 3. The guaranteeing of freedom of worship and performance of religious rites for all religions in the Holy Places; 4. The reaffirmation of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to the exercise of their inalienable and imprescriptible national rights, under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization, their sole and legitimate representative, and the indemnification of those who do not desire to return; 5. The placing of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under the supervision of the United Nations for a transitional period not exceeding a few months; 6. The establishment of an independent Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital; 7. The establishment by the United Nations Security Council of guarantees of peace between all States of the region, including the independent Palestinian State; 8. The guaranteeing by the Security Council of the implementation of these principles.
Did the the Arab-Islamic conquerors ever leave peacefully one single country amongst the numerous lands they have occupied by force or deception ?
Till now only the Arab countries have come with realistic peace plans...
Saudi's refuse to acknowledge Israel's existence, yet alone conduct any negotiations with it. Or would you like the peace negotiations to be conducted through the media by issuing counter "proposals" to each other? Arabs refuse to enter peace negotiations, this proves they don't want peace. What more proof do you need?
Arabs:A temporary agreement that will give them real estate assets lost when they attacked Israel and in return giving only a vague paper with open issues for conflict continuation And later to destroy Israel Israel:A long lasting peace for the Jewish state leaving peacefully along the Arab world forever The Arabs refuse to recognize that Jews are entitled to their sovereign country-Israel America can lead the free world to create the conditions for peace But peace cannot be imposed by foreign powers The only way peace can happen is if Arab leaders take a real peace stand publically and work to this goal in Arab countries and Arab language The Arab leaders will stop using the double language 1:The lying language to the infidels in the west media masking their Israel destructions narrative 2;The truth language to the believers (Muslims) in Arabic describing the destroy Israel stage strategy
Israelis define peace as ending violence. Palestinians as gaining rights and justice- returning to their homes from 48/67, end of land appropriations, etc. We do not define peace in the same way. we don't define peace in the same way.
Palestinians want an independent state in the Wrest Bank and Gaza without paying the right prize which is a full recognition of the right of the jews to a national state. They might recognize Israel as a political fact....that should dissapear in the long run. Israel should stick to the demans from the palestinians to recognize the jewish state. That will set the path for the creation of a palestinians state disconnected from arab palestinians citizens of Israel. That disconnection is the basis for peace between two nation states. No terra irredenta neither from the jews on Judea and Samaria and nor from the palestinians on the land of the state of Israel.
You can't even stop the building of settelment ... we need more than words ... not simply dictating Your Zionists expansionist policies
Just give them territory with no security arrangements like in Gaza, to be followed by thousands of rockets on Jerusalem and Tel Aviv? Now that would be smart, and to the benefit of both sides, wouldn't it? We'll all have to "wait and see", won't we, whether the Pals are finally ready to accept Israel as a Jewish state in the middle of the so-called "Arab world". I'm not holding my breath.
Precondition is a requirement you demand to be fulfilled BEFORE you agree to enter negotiations. Netanyahu makes no preconditions. He is ready to enter peace negotiations unconditionally.
Do not contradict yourself and make it look like you want it to work. Be genuine and state security IS the primary condition. Do not dance around so called 'pre-conditions'. That just doesnt fly anymore.
I dont understand why he insists on security first.With Israel wanting to control all of the border around the west bank including the Jordan valley it only creates a larger version of the Gaza strip. With modern missile advancements anyone that has a mind to do so could carry a fatal blow from a thousand miles away.Will Israel also want a 1001 mile buffer zone. Give the Palestinians a chance.
It really does not matter...if you read your Bible you will see prophecy happening daily & the return of Christ will not be long!
and Netanyahu says: "Any deal will have to be based on (...) a recognition of Israel as a Jewish state". That does not quite square does it? Further, we keep hearing on the necessity to guarantee Israel's security, but who talks about measures to secure the future Palestinian state against the world's fifth most powerful army?
do you really believe that israel will be able to continue to build in the palestinian terr. the pm already knows that israel will have to stop construction but they allowed him to state no pre conditions for the public.