Islam Times - Netanyahu Sets Conditions for "Peace"; Palestinians: He Torpedoed Peace Chances

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said it loud and clear: Obama, I will not yield to your administration; Mitchell, your efforts are history; Palestinians, you will never have a state; Refugees, you will never see your land again.

By: Mohamad Shmaysani

In an anticipated Israel foreign policy address at Bar Ilan University, Netanyahu laid down conditions for so called peace in the region, the Israeli way.
"Peace has always been our objective," Netanyahu began. "Our prophets always envisioned peace; we bless each other with Shalom; our prayers end in peace," Netanyahu claimed.

Knowing that the Palestinian people will categorically reject his notion, Netanyahu said he is with establishing a Palestinian state, but a demilitarized state with a slaughtered people that recognizes the Zionist state’s nature as a “Jewish state,” a condition even President Mahmud Abbas’ Fatah party has long rejected alongside the remaining Palestinian factions.
"If we have the guarantees on demilitarization and if the Palestinians recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people, then we arrive at a solution based on a demilitarized Palestinian state alongside Israel," Netanyahu said.
"The Palestinian territory will be without arms, will not control air space, and will not be able to have arms enter, without the possibility of striking alliances with Iran or Hezbollah." "To achieve peace, courage and honesty are necessary from both sides. The Palestinians must say - 'enough with this conflict. We recognize Israel's right to exist, and want to live by their side.'
"Sadly, even the Palestinian moderates won't say the most simple statement - Israel is the Jewish national state, and will remain as such.
"A public Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish nation-state is a prerequisite for regional peace," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu wants “peace” and he set conditions for it, however he denied the Palestinians their right to have their own conditions.
He called on them to "begin peace talks immediately, and without preconditions."
"I call on you, our Palestinian neighbors, and to the leadership of the Palestinian Authority: Let us begin peace negotiations immediately, without preconditions," he said. "Israel is committed to international agreements and expects all the other parties to fulfill their obligations as well."

Netanyahu reiterated that Israel has no desire to control the Palestinian people, and declared that both nations should be able to live side by side in “peace”; A nation with F-15’s and state of the art weaponry and a defenseless demilitarized.

"The Palestinian refugee problem must be resolved outside the borders of the state of Israel. On this, there is a broad international consensus," Netanyahu said, adding that with international investment this "humanitarian problem" can be solved.
He said that the descendants of the Palestinian refugees must not be resettled within Israel borders and that Jerusalem must remain united.

Washington provides Israel with 2.4 billion dollars of annual military aid as well as diplomatic support, making the United States its most important ally.

On the issue of settlements and outposts in the West Bank the prime minister touched on only briefly, saying that Israel has no intention of expropriating land to build new settlements but that there is a need to allow settlers to live "normal lives" - alluding to the demand of 'natural growth' within the existing settlements.

Netanyahu’s speech torpedoed chances for “peace” says the Palestinians
Abbas, himself at loggerheads with Hamas, has said talks with Israel cannot resume until Netanyahu halts settlement and accepts a two-state solution.

"This speech torpedoes all peace initiatives in the region," Abbas’ spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina told AFP.
The speech was billed as a response to Obama's address to the Muslim world 10 days ago in which he reiterated Washington's "unbreakable" bond with Israel but also said the Palestinian situation was "intolerable."

Palestinian Labor Minister Ahmed Majdalani accused Netanyahu of "inviting President Abbas for talks while removing the infrastructure that would allow such negotiations." Majdalani slammed the prime minister for "encouraging the settlers and complimenting them, indicating total identification with them.

The Hamas movement slammed Netanyahu's address saying it reflected a "racist and extremist ideology."
"This speech reflects the racist and extremist ideology of Netanyahu and denies all the rights of the Palestinian people," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum told AFP.
"This speech is the reiteration of the policy of his government, which aims at transforming the Palestinian people into a tool to protect the occupation."

"Netanyahu's speech was a right-wing speech that destroyed the basis for negotiations when it talked of a unified Jerusalem, removing the refugee issue from the talks and recognizing a Jewish state. This is a speech that is about setting terms, it dealt a deadly blow to the peace process," an aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told Ynet immediately following the address.

Former US president Jimmy Carter told the Israeli Haaretz daily on Sunday that Israel risked a head-on collision with Washington over the settlements.