Appearing Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Netanyahu told host David Gregory, he believes conciliatory talks between the two states remains possible if Abbas would recognize Israeli statehood.
“The Palestinians want a state, but they have to give peace in return, What they're trying to do in the United Nations is to get a state, without giving Israel peace, or giving Israel peace and security,…and I think that’s wrong.”
“I think the Palestinians are trying to get away without negotiating,They’re trying to basically detour around peace negotiations by going to the United Nations and having the automatic majority in the United Nations General Assembly give them a state...That’s unfortunate.”
“Many, many countries are coming to realize that our demand that we have direct negotiations, and that the Palestinians finally recognize the Jewish state and give this tiny country, Israel, the security requirements it needs, people are getting around to that.
Netanyahu said he had this advice for Abbas: "If you want to get to peace, put all your preconditions to the side."
When asked whether Israel would relinquish the West Bank, Netanyahu replied:
“I’m not going to head recklessly to feed more territory to the insatiable crocodile of militant Islam, as I call it. I want to first erect a wall against this military that takes over every territory that we vacate.