Netanyahu to ABC: Jerusalem construction justified
In interview with 'Good Morning America,' Israeli PM says Palestinian demand to stop Jewish construction in eastern part of capital 'unacceptable'; calls Iranian nuclear ambitions 'biggest issue facing our times'
WASHINGTON - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will not accept Palestinian demands that Israel stop Jewish construction in east Jerusalem.
Appearing in an interview broadcast Monday on ABC's "Good Morning America," Netanyahu called that "an unacceptable demand" and said this long-standing Israeli government position is not his alone, but that it dates to governments led by Golda Meir, Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin.
"I'm the one who initiated -- that's unprecedented -- a settlement freeze in the territories. Again, in Jerusalem, we're talking about neighborhoods, not settlements. And they're urban areas right next to this office in the heart of Jerusalem," he said.
"These neighborhoods, which are part and parcel of Jerusalem and have not displaced anyone. Palestinians live in Palestinian neighborhoods in Jerusalem. Jews live in Jewish neighborhoods," Netanyahu added.
"As far as the idea of an imposed (peace) settlement, I don't believe anyone will seriously think that you can impose peace. Peace has to come from the parties sitting down with each other, resolving their differences. And this is what we want to achieve," he told ABC.
Netanyahu sought to minimize differences with President Barack Obama over the Mideast peace process. But he acknowledged that "we have some outstanding issues. We're trying to resolve them through diplomatic channels in the best way that we can."
As forIran, the Israeli leader called for "crippling sanctions" against the Islamic Republic to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapons capability.
Netanyahu said he worries that the international community isn't acting aggressively enough to thwart Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
According to the PM, the possibility Iran could develop a nuclear weapons program represents "the biggest issue facing our times."
He called for denying refined petroleum imports to Iran and said that if the member nations of the UN Security Council cannot agree on such a tough move, there is a "coalition of the willing" among other countries that also are worried about Iran.
