Netanyahu to Abbas: Recognition of Jewish state is first step to peace

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Palestinian President Abbas to recognise Israel as a Jewish state as a first step towards peace.

During a speech at the American Jewish Conference on Democracy and Economic Achievements which was held in Jerusalem on Sunday, Netanyahu said: “I agreed to discuss the peace plan which has been suggested by [former US Secretary of State] John Kerry. When he asked Abbas about it and told him that ‘Netanyahu is ready, what about you?’, Abbas replied that he will think about it, and still did not answer.”

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“This is the real problem. The problem is not recognition of the Palestinian state. The problem has always been about the recognition of the Jewish state.”

If Abbas wants to make peace, he must recognise the Jewish state, which will bring peace now and forever.

He added that Israel has made peace with its “neighbouring countries, Egypt and Jordan.”

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Israeli-Palestinian negotiations stalled at the end of April 2014 after nine months of talks sponsored by the US administration of Barack Obama. Israel refused to stop settlement activity, to accept the 1967 borders as a basis for negotiations or to release Palestinian prisoners held in its jails, all pre-agreed stipulations for negotiations to continue.