Israel Matzav

Erekat and Netanyahu agree: There's nothing to talk about

Prime Minister Netanyahu told the Knesset on Monday that Israel has to stop blaming itself for the lack of peace: The 'Palestinians' won't recognize us.

The prime minister said that the majority of Israeli's support his diplomatic vision, setting out a number of points which were widely agreed upon.

First, that the Palestinians must recognize Israel as the nation state of the Jews. Secondly, that any peace agreement with the Palestinians should end the conflict and all future Palestinian claims on land. Third, that no refugees be allowed to return to Israeli territory. Fourth, that a Palestinian state must be formed with Israel's security arrangements in mind, including a continued Israeli military presence along the Jordan River. Fifth, large settlement blocs must remain part of Israel. And, lastly, Jerusalem would remain the undivided capital of Israel.

Netanyahu said that in addition to these points, the majority of Israelis were united in their belief that Israel's borders must be defended, the peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan must be kept intact and Iran's nuclear weapons program must be kept in check.

Netanyahu is likely to make the same points when he meets with President Obama on Friday and when he speaks to a joint session of Congress next Tuesday.

Meanwhile, former 'Palestinian' chief negotiator bottle washer Saeb Erekat said on Monday that 'negotiations' with Israel are over.

“Do we have a partner to make peace in Israel? We don’t,” Erekat said, adding “I believe negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians are over.”

Erekat said Israel was at fault to some degree for getting rid of former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, saying “you sacked the only guy who could achieve peace.”

Erekat said negotiations were over in the sense that all of the solutions to ending the conflict have already been determined and it merely takes “someone to stand up and make a decision.”

In regards to the declaration of a Palestinian state, Erekat said “those who stand tall and recognize the state of Palestine on the 1967 lines are those who are advocating the two state solution, those who shy from it are putting a big question mark on the two state solution.”

Erekat’s comments came at an event held by the Geneva Initiative on Monday in Tel Aviv to discuss the expected ramifications of the United Nations vote on Palestinian statehood in September.

Entitled “The Road to September”, the conference was also attended by former French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, and former Meretz party leader Yossi Beilin, one of the founders of the Geneva Initiative.

But Erekat's boss turned down a too-generous offer from Olmert because it wasn't enough. And the 'Palestinians' - including Erekat himself - couldn't even own up to having made concessions to Israel in the talks that took place while Olmert was in office. And what 'everyone knows' needs to be done for peace to be made is - it should be obvious by now - not sufficient for peace to be made.

Meanwhile, back at the Knesset, opposition leader Tzipi Livni, who tried in every way possible to surrender to the 'Palestinians' while she was foreign minister, attacked Netanyahu for not having a vision.

Opposition leader Tzipi Livni spoke following Netanyahu, slamming the prime minister for not having a diplomatic vision.

"In a number of months a Palestinian State on the 1967 borders will be declared and the prime minister is going to the United States with no vision or plan of action," Livni stated.

"On this day we are united to defend Israel's sovereignty. Israel's leadership must act to thwart those that do not accept its existence," she stated.

Funny, but her conditions for peace were much less stringent than Netanyahu's and she couldn't get the deal done either. Maybe there's no deal to be had?

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Geneva initiative, Saeb Erekat, Tzipi Livni

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:47 PM