Israel Matzav

Deputy Defense Minister Dannon: Stop the 'talks'!

Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon is urging Prime Minister Netanyahu to stop the 'talks' with the 'Palestinian Authority' over extending the 'talks' beyond April 29 in light of the 'Palestinians' refusal to condemn Monday's terror attack.

Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon told Israel Radio on Wednesday that Netanyahu should order Israeli negotiators not to meet with their Palestinian counterparts – as they are scheduled to do later on in the evening – until the Palestinian Authority officially issues a condemnation of the killing.

“Palestinian incitement continues, so there’s no place for more talks,” Danon said. “We need to stop folding and begging [before the Palestinians].”

The deputy defense minister, who is leading the hawkish opposition to Netanyahu from within the ruling Likud faction, repeated his threat to tender his resignation in the event that Israel frees additional Palestinian prisoners convicted of terrorist acts.

Danon criticized the United States for its “double standard” in pressuring Israel to free Palestinian terrorists.

Israeli-Palestinian contacts to extend negotiations past their April 29 deadline continue, despite Monday evening’s terrorist attack that killed a police officer on his way with his family to a Seder in Kiryat Arba.

The negotiations were to continue on Wednesday, even as Netanyahu held the Palestinian Authority responsible for the murder.

Meanwhile, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki urged 'restraint' and said that the United States disagrees with a New York Times call to give up on the Middle East.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Danny Danon, Jen Psaki, Middle East peace process, New York Times, Palestinian terrorism, Palestinian terrorists

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:32 PM