Ya’alon: Not an inch of the West Bank till Jewish state recognized

Israel’s Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon told the Munich Security Conference Sunday that not an inch of the West Bank will be ceded until the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state. “The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not a dispute over territory, but over the Palestinian refusal to accept Israel as a Jewish state and to declare an end to the conflict for an agreed-upon withdrawal from the West Bank,” said Ya’alon. "I support the negotiations, I support any political engagement, but we should tell ourselves the truth and not delude ourselves regarding Abu Mazen’s intentions. Will Abu Mazen be ready to recognize our right to exist as the nation state of the Jewish people?" Ya'alon asked. "We got a clear answer. Never.” And if the deal falls through, he said, “We”ll manage.”