Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said, Sunday evening, that in order for the current talks with the Palestinian Authority to succeed, "It is essential that we hear from the Palestinian leadership that it recognizes the Jewish people, [and] its right to its own country, which is the state of Israel."
Speaking at Bar-Ilan University, he said another essential condition was "a real and lasting response to the security needs of Israel in the unstable and dangerous region in which we live. Because even if we gain the Palestinian recognition, after generations of incitement which still continues, we have no confidence that this recognition will seep down into the layers of Palestinian society and therefore we need solid security arrangements so that we can protect the peace or protect ourselves if the peace is buried. " Netanyahu stressed that this is a "realistic, responsible approach which is willing to go forward but not blindly."