Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Looks Like Netanyahu Pulled It Off!


Netanyahu to Address Congress; Concessions Feared

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has received an invitation to address the U.S. Congress five weeks from now. He insists that despite international pressure for yet more concessions to the Palestinian Authority, he will, in his speech, "stand firm against those who try to dictate conditions that will leave us without security and without peace."
Artuz Sheva, April 15, 2011

That was then--but now it looks that Netanyahu pulled it off--no concessions.
From the beginning of his visit to the end: Netanyahu stood firm.

Here are some of the points Bibi made to Congress today (Hat tip: AF)

Central points from Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech at the Joint Session of the U.S. Congress

Netanyahu's vision of peace:

1) Mutual Recognition of the Jewish state and the Palestinian State

2) A Palestinian state that is independent and viable

3) A Palestinian state that will be fully demilitarized, with an Israeli military presence along the Jordan River.

4) The settlement blocs and areas of critical strategic and national importance will remain a part of Israel.

5) In any peace agreement, some settlements will end up outside Israel's borders.

6) The solution to the Palestinian refugees will be found outside Israel.

7) Jerusalem will remain Israel's united sovereign capital.
What is the next step?
Obama is the one who opened up this can of worms about restarting peace talks again--the ball is in his court.

Technorati Tag: .

1 comment:

NormanF said...

Daled, it all assumes Netanyahu will actually adhere to his declared principles.

This is the same man who sold Israel out at Wye and it never went through because his coalition partners said "NO" and it wasn't good enough for Arafat.

The past is prologue to the future.