Netanyahu's speech: Yes to road map, no to settlement freeze

[babylonsister]

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1092068.html

Last update - 07:32 11/06/2009
Netanyahu's speech: Yes to road map, no to settlement freeze
By Aluf Benn and Barak Ravid


Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will announce in his foreign policy speech scheduled for Sunday the adoption of the road map and the "two-state solution" for settling the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, according to sources close to the prime minister. The sources said the speech will "revolve around the road map."

Netanyahu will present a few conditions for the implementation of the road map, above all a Palestinian recognition of Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people. He will also demand that the future Palestinian state be demilitarized.

snip//

Sources close to Netanyahu maintain that he will try to reach a tacit understanding with U.S. President Barack Obama on the suspension of construction for a specific period of time.

The differences in the positions of Israel and the U.S. on building in in the settlements narrowed in the wake of talks between U.S. Special Envoy George Mitchell and Netanyahu Tuesday. The prime minister and his aides presented a proposal to break down the issue of natural growth in the settlements according to various types of construction, such as new building, the expansion of existing structures and the construction of public housing.

A Jerusalem source said the talks, which lasted about four hours, "resulted in a great deal of progress," as a result of the more flexible proposals put forth by Netanyahu on the settlements.

A senior Washington source confirmed that progress had been achieved, but stressed that "our position on the need to cease settlement construction has not been altered at all. The talks were good and we will continue in a few days."

The Prime Minister's Bureau refused to comment.

[zulchzulu]

1. Netanyahu: Yes to Peace, no to Peace

We get it, Netanyahu. You can't wipe the Likudist smirk off your face.

[lunatica]

2. Mutual recognition as both having a right to a homeland is a good start

Tearing down that grotesque wall should be next.

[Captain Hilts]

3. This ain't a cafeteria where you can choose to eat only desserts, Bibi. nt

[The Magistrate]

4. He Will have To Go Whole Hog, Ma'am, Or Nothing

Expansion of the settlements must stop, completely and immediately.

It must be accepted in Israel that the settlement project will have to be liquidated as part of any sustainable peace.

The demand for a 'de-militarized' Palestine is nonesense: a state without armed forces is no state.

[babylonsister]

6. I hope we demand nothing less, Sir.

This speech could be a stalling tactic on Bibi's part, but he's going to have to face the music eventually.

[Jennicut]

5. Pathetic. More settlements means there will never be peace, as if he cares.