Asia

Asia

Netanyahu: There is no guarantee that talks will succeed

07 September 2010 18:24 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. PM gives Rosh Hashana address to nation; states that there are many obstacles and reasons to doubt peace is possible, but attempting to reach an agreement is a necessity; "we are trying sincerely but not naively", APA reports quoting jpost.com web-page.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said that while the opening of direct talks with the Palestinians is an important step towards drafting a framework peace agreement, there is no guarantee that negotiations will succeed. The comments came in Netanyahu’s Rosh Hashana address to the nation.

"There are many obstacles, there are many doubters, there are many reasons for doubt; however, it is a necessity that we attempt to obtain peace, and we are trying, sincerely but not naively."
Netanyahu stated that any agreement would be based on security and recognition of Israel as a Jewish state.

"No peace can survive that is not anchored in real security arrangements on the ground. Not on paper, not some weak international obligation, but Israeli security arrangements on the ground.

"The second thing, of course, is recognition of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people. We are being asked to recognize a Palestinian state and it is only proper and natural that we ask the other side to recognize the Jewish state."

The prime minister also addressed Israel’s economic situation, stating that the Jewish state had survived the global economic crisis much better than most of the world’s countries.

"The unemployment rate dropped to its lowest rate in many years, and we made many important reforms, among others, the reform to bring down apartment prices and the laying of new streets and train tracks to the Galilee and the Negev."

While the prime minister normally grants seperate holiday interviews to all three Israeli television networks, this year he gave a single address available to everyone.