Netanyahu vows to honor Israel's 'international commitments'

A Likud-led government will honor "all international commitments" made by Israel, Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu told the American special envoy to the Middle East yesterday.

George Mitchell, the man tasked by U.S. President Barack Obama with jump-starting flagging peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, heard from Netanyahu - a vocal opponent of the negotiations - that Israel "would honor all its international commitments and would take no action to contradict them."

However, Netanyahu also told Mitchell that a Likud-led government would "reassess Israeli foreign policy and proceed with the peace process with the Palestinians in its own way."

The meeting in Tel Aviv's Dan Hotel was the first between the two men since Netanyahu was tapped to lead Israel's next government.

Though Netanyahu did not specify which commitments he meant, the principal commitments made by Israeli governments over the past few years are those included in the road map peace plan - primarily, limits on settlement construction and the evacuation of illegal outposts - and the Annapolis summit pledge to hold final-status talks on establishing a Palestinian state.

Netanyahu is currently negotiating to form a government with Kadima, whose chairwoman, Tzipi Livni, has made the final-status talks a condition for her entry into the coalition. Hence Netanyahu's statement was seen as a nod toward her as well as Washington.

The Mitchell-Netanyahu meeting also focused on American efforts to reconcile the two rival Palestinian factions - Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, and Fatah, which rules the West Bank. Netanyahu argued that inter-Palestinian reconciliation might further radicalize both the West Bank and Gaza, and should therefore not be encouraged. Unless Hamas changes its positions, he warned, such a reconciliation is liable to destroy any chance for peace.

Netanyahu later said the meeting had been good and that the two planned to meet again. Mitchell also met yesterday with Defense Minister Ehud Barak and other defense officials.