PM: Palestinian state – only through peace deal
Netanyahu tells US senators international demand for peace deal would take sting out of Palestinian statehood declaration in UN; shares concerns over calls to annul Egypt peace treaty
Netanyahu said that if the Palestinians go ahead with their plan to declare an independent state in the UN, they would not feel committed to reaching an agreement through negotiation.
An agreement would only be achieved through negotiation and if other countries join this stance, he said. The prime minister claimed that a demand for an agreement would take the sting out of any Palestinian declaration of statehood.
Netanyahu also addressed security arrangements saying that they would include not only more Iron Dome batteries but also long term presence in the Jordan Valley.
In the past, Netanyahu avoided making statements with regards to Israel's presence in the Jordan Valley.
Reports of President Barack Obama's peace initiative were published last week but there has been no official announcement of the plan yet.
The plan includes 4 key principles: A Palestinian state without the right of return, Jerusalem as the capital of both states, and an emphasis on Israel's security needs.
Netanyahu shared his concerns over calls from Cairo to scrap the peace treaty with Israel and noted that the international community must make it clear to Egypt that it expects the peace agreement to remain in place.
Netanyahu's statements came a day after a survey revealed that 54% of Egyptians support the cancellation of the agreement with Israel which was signed in 1979. Just over a third – 36% preferred to keep the agreement in place.
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