Israeli opposition: war on Gaza created opportunity for peace

Israel’s Leader of the Opposition Isaac Herzog told Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas that the latest Israeli war on Gaza had “created an opportunity to reach political reconciliation,” Israeli radio has reported.

The radio reported that Herzog said: “Israel sees that it is necessary for the PA to hold responsibility for the Gaza Strip as part of the two-state solution.”

Herzog went on: “Palestinians have to stop taking unilateral measures which might undermine the opportunities to reach reconciliation.”

For his part, Abbas said: “It is necessary to go back to the negotiation table based on the principle of specifying the permanent borders of the Palestinian state and also to go through negotiations based on a clear timeline.”

Abbas added: “It is time for Israel to specify its view regarding the issue of the borders of the Palestinian state.”