White House welcomes Netanyahu’s endorsement of Palestinian state

Israeli prime minister Binyamin for the first time spoke in favor of a Palestinian state alongside Israel in his speech at Bar Ilan University Sunday, June 14. But only on condition that the Palestinian state is demilitarized, does not control its air space, accepts effective security arrangements against arms smuggling, may not sign military treaties and finally recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
The White House said that president Obama welcomes Netanyahu’s endorsement of a separate Palestinian state as an “important step forward.
Palestinian spokesman accused the Israeli prime minister of “sabotaging” the peace process. He said that no Palestinian in a thousand years would accept Israel as a Jewish state.
Netanyahu said Israel will ask its friends, especially the United States, to guarantee these measures so that the Palestinian state does not become a base of terror (Hamastan) and Israel and the Palestinians can live in peace.
The Israeli prime minister began his speech by saying that the world was reminded again of the Iranian threat yesterday. When he met US president Barak Obama last month, he said, he had stressed that “radical Islam and nuclear arms must not be allowed to come together” and he would work tirelessly to establish an international front to prevent this happening.
He said he was willing to discuss a regional peace with Arab leaders at any place they choose.
Netanyahu said the reality of the Palestinian people in this land must be recognized, but argued that the conflict is rooted in the Arab world’s refusal to recognize Israel’s right to a state within any borders at all from 1947. It can only end when the Palestinians accept it as the homeland of the Jewish people and the land of its fathers.
He called on the Palestinians to choose between the way to peace and the Hamas way because Israel will never negotiate with terrorists.
“We will not establish new settlements or allocate new land for their expansion until the end of final status negotiations,” said Netanyahu, referring to a major bone of contention with President Obama. But, he said, we cannot turn away from the natural needs of our brethren.
He disputed the thesis that Israel arose from the ashes of the Nazi Holocaust and maintained that had the state of Israel been established earlier, the Holocaust would have been prevented.
Jerusalem will remain Israel’s united capital with freedom of religion for all faiths, the prime minister said.