Binyamin Netanyahu
Binyamin NetanyahuAlex Kolomoisky/pool

Agriculture Minister MK Uri Ariel (Jewish Home) responded critically to reports claiming that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu intends to renew negotiations with the Palestinian Authority (PA) on Tuesday, and discuss with them the boundaries of "settlement blocs" in Judea and Samaria.

"If indeed there is truth in this, it is a dangerous precedent," Ariel said Tuesday morning. "The proposal clearly contradicts the first article of the government's guidelines - the people's unquestionable right to the Land of Israel and a sovereign state and its national historic homeland."

Ariel added that he "expects all members of the coalition headed by the Prime Minister to keep those guidelines."

Ariel's comments surface after Netanyahu stated in a meeting with European Union (EU) Foreign Affairs chief Frederica Mogherini last week that, in his eyes, the "two-state solution" is the "only solution," despite stating during his election campaign that he is against resuming peace talks. 

Arutz Sheva called the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to clarify Netanyahu's statements on Thursday, and was told that Netanyahu does support the two-state solution. 

Internal Security Minister MK Gilad Erdan (Likud) stated that no one should thus be surprised at the announcement and that a return to peace talks, if anything, was expected. 

"Anyone who is in Likud knows that we will have to partner with the Palestinians to discuss not only our right to land and security needs, but also on a compromise that would include territorial concessions," Erdan, who was sworn into the government late Monday night, stated in an Army Radio interview Tuesday morning. 

Erdan qualified, however, that the likelihood of actually reaching an agreement is low. 

"Are we there? Of course not," he said, noting that no one has "yet succeeded in bringing Mahmoud Abbas to the negotiating table and stopping his unilateral steps."

However, he insisted that "peace will only be achieved around the negotiating table."