#Israel: Netanyahu says he wants support for two-state solution

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured) appealed to the diplomatic corps in Israel to encourage Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas ‘’to accept my offer of direct talks today’’ and said he supports a two-state solution, writes Europe Israel Press Association (EIPA) Senior Media Advisor Yossi Lempkowicz.

He addressed the annual reception for heads of diplomatic missions and religious communities at a gathering at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, to mark on Thursday Israel’s 68th Independence Day.

“My call for peace today is not hypothetical. I am prepared to meet President (Mahmoud) Abbas today in Jerusalem. If he’d like, in Ramallah,” Netanyahu said. He repeated that  ‘’direct talks are not merely the most likely and best path for peace. Ultimately, it’s the only way that you will achieve a peace that will endure.”

“You cannot make peace with anyone who refuses to sit down with you,” he said, adding that Israelis and Palestinians deserve enduring peace. He also said that countries are increasingly keen to connect with Israel, in order to both strengthen security and take advantage of the country’s technological prowess. He commented: “In recent years, I’ve seen formerly hostile states… especially in the region, form new and deep partnerships with us… I think this creates new hope.”

This process, said Netanyahu, is crucial to concluding a peace deal with the Palestinians, explaining “we might solve the Israeli-Palestinian problem by enjoying the support of Arab states who now see Israel more and more… as an ally in the fight against terrorist forces that threaten their own countries as well.”

Clarifying his standpoint, he said: “I know there is scepticism about my position… But I want to state unequivocally and in front of diplomats from around the world: I continue to support two states for two peoples providing that a demilitarized Palestinian state recognizes the State of Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people.’’

‘’The core of this conflict remains the persistent refusal to recognise a Jewish state in any boundary,” Netanyahu, who is also Foreign Minster, added.

‘A country of innovation which has significantly contributed toward combating terrorism and strengthening common security’

Earlier this week, the Director General of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Dore Gold, considered close to Netanyahu, reaffirmed Israeli concerns over the recent French initiative to organise an international peace conference to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He said that a Netanyahu-Abbas meeting would be preferable, although including reference to the Jewish state within the French initiative would be “a very important factor.”

He made the remarks on the eve of a visit to Jerusalem of French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault who is seeking to gather support for the French initiative.

In his address, Netanyahu said he is especially fond of the diplomatic community, because 34 years ago he began his public life as the deputy chief of mission at the Israel Embassy in Washington. At that time, he said, Israel had diplomatic relations with very few countries, but now, despite the consistent attempts to delegitimize Israel, the country enjoys full diplomatic relations with 159 countries.

Hardly a day goes by, he said, that there isn’t a foreign diplomatic, trade, technical or security delegation coming to Israel, because it is the country of innovation and has significantly contributed toward combating terrorism and strengthening common security.

The Independence Day festivities began on Wednesday evening (11 May), as Memorial Day for Israel’s fallen soldiers ended to be replaced by street parties across the country, accompanied by public fireworks displays.

On Thursday saw Israelis enjoy traditional barbeques, with an estimated 150,000 people packing the country’s national parks and countless more on its beaches.

During the morning, the Israel Air Force conducted its perennial fly-past over the country’s major cities.

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