Israel Matzav

Netanyahu won't negotiate with PA if it includes Hamas

Prime Minister Netanyahu says that Israel will refuse to negotiate with the 'Palestinian Authority' if it includes Hamas.

Speaking at the annual conference of the heads of Israel's delegations abroad, meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, Netanyahu stated that the turmoil in the Middle East must be taken into consideration in any future negotiation with the Palestinians.

"Progress in the diplomatic process is dependent on Israel preserving and guarding its security needs which are much more difficult given the changes in the region," Netanyahu said.

The prime minister said that Israel is "not prepared to allow a Palestinian state to turn into Gaza or Lebanon," meaning a territory from which thousands of rockets are launched into Israel.

He stated that although it was not a pre-condition for peace talks, Palestinians would eventually "have to accept Israel as the national home of the Jewish people."

Netanyahu repeated his refrain that he is "willing to meet with the Palestinians anyplace anytime."

The way things are going, Netanyahu won't have to worry too much longer about negotiating with the 'Palestinians' anyway.

Mohammed Shtayyeh, member of the Fatah Central Committee and one of the Palestinian Authority negotiators with Israel, was quoted Sunday as saying that the Palestinians may cancel the agreements signed between the PLO and Israel.

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Shtayyeh's comments were published by the London-based Asharq Al Awsat newspaper.

This was not the first time that a senior PA official had talked about the possibility of abrogating the Oslo Accords.

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In response to a question about Israeli settlements, Shtayyeh said: "If Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu insists that there is no difference between the settlement of Abu Ghneim [Har Homa] and Tel Aviv, we won't distinguish between Ramallah and Jaffa."

With regards to the PLO's decision to recognize Israel in 1993, Shtayyeh explained: "The recognition of Israel was not a balanced recognition. The PLO recognized Israel in the geographic sense, but Israel did not recognize Palestine geographically, but as an institution. Israel only recognized the PLO. Now we are demanding a mutual recognition. We want Israel to recognize the Palestinian territories of 1967."

Meanwhile, some 'Palestinians' worry that the 'reconciliation' is just paving the way for Hamas to take over Judea and Samaria.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Hamas-Fatah reconciliation

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:51 AM