(Prime Minister's Office) - On Tuesday, I will leave for Washington to launch the direct talks between us and the Palestinians. We have insisted that these talks be held without pre-conditions and thus it will be. Our goal is to seriously and responsibly advance a peace agreement that will be based on the following principles: First of all, the recognition of Israel as the national state of the Jewish People, the end of the conflict and of claims on Israel, that will stem from recognizing it as the national state of the Jewish People, and the establishment of tangible security measures on the ground so as to ensure that there will not be a repeat in Judea and Samaria of what happened in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip after Israel withdrew from these areas. I am convinced that if the Palestinian leadership approaches these talks with the same degree of seriousness as we will be able to advance toward a stable agreement that will ensure peace and security for both peoples and will contribute to the security and stability of the region. The basic question is whether the Palestinian side will be as willing as the Israeli side to advance towards a peace that will resolve this conflict for generations to come. There shouldn't just be a tactical halt between two wars or two outbreaks of terrorism, but a peace based on recognition, security, stability and economic prosperity between the two peoples that will endure for us and our children. This is my goal and I very much hope that it is the goal of the Palestinian leadership as well.
2010-08-30 08:03:02Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive