Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni spoke at the conclusion of the Presidents’ conference in Jerusalem on Thursday night. Livni discussed ongoing negotiations with the Palestinian Authority, and expressed confidence that when a PA state is created, Arabs will no longer mourn Israel’s creation as a “Nakba,” or “disaster.”
Once there is a PA state, Arabs will celebrate their own Independence Day and will not mourn Israel’s, Livni said. Livni’s speech was made on May 15, which many Arabs consider “Nakba Day.” Arabs in PA-controlled areas marked the day with rallies and speeches promising a “return” to pre-1967 Israel.