Monday, November 16, 2009

Netanyahu: No one to talk to on Palestinian side

(YNET).Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the Palestinian leadership once again on Monday, claiming it was not interested in resuming peace negotiations.

"The Palestinians are running away from negotiations. There is no one to talk to," the PM told a Likud faction meeting amid Palestinian threats to ask the UN to recognize an independent Palestinian state without Israel's consent.

Earlier Monday, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the Palestinian Authority has asked the European Union to back such a move.

During the Likud faction meeting, Knesset Member Carmel Shama said that even if the Palestinians declare statehood, "the most they'll get is a monopoly state."

"A unilateral declaration of the establishment of a Palestinian state will be meaningless," he said.

Netanyahu said during the meeting that his meeting with US President Barack Obama last week was "very good".

"This is how it was defined by (White House Chief of Staff) Rahm Emanuel, and this is how I define it. President Obama only ended the meeting when he had to go to his daughters," Netanyahu said