The Palestinians want a state without achieving peace, and they must first achieve peace with Israel, the Israeli Prime Minister pointed out last night, expressing Israel's readiness for a "Palestinian state in the West Bank", but not another one in the Gaza Strip, as he said.
Netanyahu said he was extending "the hand of peace to the Palestinian people" but accused the Palestinian leadership of rejecting peace efforts.
"It is true that Israel wants peace, it is true that I want peace. It is true that we cannot achieve peace through UN resolutions, but through negotiations, it is true that so far the Palestinians have refused to negotiate," the Israeli leader emphasized. transfer agencies.
He spoke shortly after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who, despite opposition from the US and Israel, submitted a request to the UN Secretary General to recognize Palestine as a UN member state.
Abbas was greeted by applause at the UN, the Israeli delegation left the hall >>>
"I call on Mr. Secretary General to speed up our request to the Security Council and I call on the respected members of the Security Council to vote for our full membership," Abbas said at the GS, which was met with applause from many present.
Abbas called on countries that have not yet done so to recognize the state of Palestine. "The time has come for my brave and proud people after decades of displacement and colonial occupation and endless suffering to live like other peoples in the world free in a sovereign and independent homeland", said the Palestinian leader, appealing to Israel to "come to peace".
Netanyahu replied that Israel is extending a hand to the Palestinian people with whom it strives for a just and lasting peace, but emphasized that peace can only be achieved through negotiations, not unilateral declarations of statehood.
Palestine's request for statehood at the UN met with thunderous approval from more than 120 countries that have already recognized Palestine.
Abbas's move is considered historic, although it will not change the fact that the West Bank is still under Israeli occupation, the Gaza Strip is under blockade, and Jerusalem is annexed. These are the territories that Abbas calls Palestine.
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