Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that the root of conflict between Palestinians and Israelis was the prior's refusal to recognize the right of the Jewish state to exist.
Addressing the Knesset a day after an unprecedented wave of demonstrations marking Nakba Day, on which Palestinians protest the creation of the state of Israel, Netanyahu said Israel must stop blaming itself and starts looking at the "reality" of the situation with "open eyes".
"Thousands tried to invade our territory and undermine our sovereignty."
"The 63 years of independence have not made a difference for those rioting against us. What did the protesters say in Gaza? They said they want to return to Jaffa. What did they say in Syria? That they want to return to the Galilee."
“This is not a dispute about 1967, this is dispute about 1948, about the establishment of the state. You will notice that yesterday's events took place not on June 5, the anniversary of the Six Day War, but on May 15, the anniversary of the establishment of the state.”
"We must call this child by its name, The reason there is no peace is because the Palestinians have never accepted Israel as a Jewish state."
"The real catastrophe of the Palestinian people is that they haven’t had a leadership that is willing to make a true historic compromise between the Palestinian and Jewish people".
"A Palestinian state should be created only through a peace agreement, not with an entity intent on its destruction. A Palestinian government in which half the members do not recognize Israel is not a partner for peace,They need to end the conflict, not continue it."
Netanyahu went further to address the Peace process, claiming, the majority of Israeli's support his diplomatic vision, setting out a number of points which were widely agreed upon:
1. The Palestinians must recognize Israel as the national state of the Jewish people.
2. Any peace agreement with the Palestinians must be end of the conflict and all future Palestinian claims on land.
3. No refugees will be allowed to return to Israeli territory, only in the Future Palestinian state.
4. A Palestinian state must be formed with Israel's security arrangements in mind, including a continued Israeli military presence along the Jordan River.
5. The large settlement blocs must remain part of Israel in any settlement, and lastly, Jerusalem would remain the eternal, undivided capital of Israel.
1. The Palestinians must recognize Israel as the national state of the Jewish people.
2. Any peace agreement with the Palestinians must be end of the conflict and all future Palestinian claims on land.
3. No refugees will be allowed to return to Israeli territory, only in the Future Palestinian state.
4. A Palestinian state must be formed with Israel's security arrangements in mind, including a continued Israeli military presence along the Jordan River.
5. The large settlement blocs must remain part of Israel in any settlement, and lastly, Jerusalem would remain the eternal, undivided capital of Israel.
"In addition to these points, the majority of Israelis were united in their belief that Israel's borders must be defended, the peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan must be kept intact and Iran's nuclear weapons program must be kept in check".Netanyahu vowed that:
"If the Palestinians choose the path of recognition, rejection of terror,they will find us ready to make true peace,w/ concessions".