Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke on Sunday at the American Jewish Committee conference in Jerusalem Sunday. The prime minister addressed the Palestinian Authorities refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
"I think that the problem we face is this: The reason we don’t have peace is not because of the absence of a Palestinian state," said Netanyahu. "It’s been offered many, many times, and it’s been rejected many, many times because it always had a condition: No Jewish state."
"Imagine what would happen if President Abbas would not invest hundreds of millions of dollars each year in paying terrorists and the families of terrorists who murdered innocent people. Imagine that he invested this in the project of peace. Imagine that they invested it in Ramallah, or for that matter in Gaza. Imagine what this would do. And I think it would change the world, and the Palestinians could aspire to become scientists and doctors. Instead, they erect statues to mass murderers. That’s what they have. Do you see that here? Anywhere? No. It’s never been about a Palestinian state. It’s always been about the Jewish state. Recognize the Jewish state. Stop paying terrorists. And invest in peace."
"If Abu Mazen really wants to make peace - he must recognize, for heaven's sake, the Jewish State," Netanyahu said. "What will help us make peace with the Palestinians is our developing ties with the Arab countries, and this is developing is beyond imagination."
According to Netanyahu, the greatest threat to Israel in particular and to the Middle East in general comes from Iran. "In two days, President Trump will meet with North Korean leader Kim. The whole world hopes this meeting will succeed."
"Imagine a deal in which Britain, France and Germany will praise it, but South Korea and Japan will resent the damage it causes. This is exactly what happened to us with the nuclear agreement," the prime minister explained.