Friday, April 17, 2009

About that Jewish State Thingy

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu lays it out the Israeli ‘pre-condition’ pursuant to any negotiation with the Palestinian Authority to US envoy reports the Jerusalem Post:
Palestinian recognition that Israel is a Jewish state is a fundamental element for any talks between the two parties, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told visiting US envoy George Mitchell on Thursday evening.
Seems almost like an oxymoron to claim Israel was anything other than the Jewish state but the Palestinian Authority has never let anything like truth get in the way of their official positions and the official PA spokesman’s response was not only quick in coming, but, oh so predictable.
Ahead of US envoy George Mitchell's arrival in Ramallah on Friday morning, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's spokesman blasted Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who told the envoy Thursday that Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state was a fundamental element for any talks between the two parties. "The news Israeli leadership is setting obstacles in the way of a solution to the conflict," he said.

Don’t let me leave you under any illusions that this is anything other than the position the PA chairman has articulated so many times in the past. Ha’aretz:
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reiterated his refusal on Saturday to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, Israel Radio reported. "Historically, there are two states - Israel and Palestinian. Israel has Jews and other people, and this we are ready to recognize, but nothing else," the radio quoted Abbas as saying shortly after he landed in Saudi Arabia after brief stops in Egypt and Jordan.

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