Israeli ambassador to UK: There is no Palestinian partner

Israel’s ambassador to the UK declared Sunday that there is no Palestinian partner for a peace deal. Mark Regev, who recently began his posting in London, was speaking at a meeting of the Board of Deputies of British Jews.

During an audience Q&A, Regev stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is clear in his support for “two states for two peoples”, with Israel living “in security” with a Palestinian state that “recognises a Jewish state.”

Regev continued: “But do we have a Palestinian partner? Up until now, sadly, we haven’t.”

The Israeli diplomat also attacked what he referred to as “so-called Nakba Day”, and said the Palestinians should be asked why they are not also “celebrating 68 years of independence.”

Regev repeated the Israeli government’s insistence that any peace agreement would have to include the Palestinians’ recognition of “the Jewish people’s right to national self-determination in part of our historic homeland.”

We need to hear, for there to be an agreement, we need to finally hear from the Palestinians that they are willing to accept our legitimacy; our legitimacy as a Jewish state, and as the only state where the Jewish people have national self-determination.

Separately, Board of Deputies president Jonathan Arkush spoke to the ongoing controversies about the Labour Party and allegations of an antisemitism ‘crisis’. According to Arkush, one of the positives to have emerged in recent weeks is that anti-Zionists are being targeted.

“It is clear”, said Arkush approvingly, “that not just antisemitism but opposition to the existence of the State of Israel has become an event which of itself justifies administrative suspension from the Labour Party as a prelude to disciplinary inquiries.”