Netanyahu to Give Major Speech in Response to Obama
Barak Raviel - Haaretz
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will discuss the future of settlement construction and the establishment of a Palestinian state during a major policy address at Bar-Ilan University on Sunday. In the speech, Netanyahu will lay out his plans for Israel's relations with the Palestinian Authority and Arab countries, a source close to the premier said yesterday.
It remains unclear whether Netanyahu will recognize the principle of two states for two peoples in the speech, which is meant as a response to U.S. President Barack Obama's address in Cairo last week. Obama stressed the two-state solution, saying it is good for both Israel and the Palestinians.
"Ahead of the speech, I will hear the views of my coalition partners and others among the Israeli public," Netanyahu told the ministers during the weekly cabinet meeting yesterday. "I would like to make it clear that we seek peace with the Palestinians and the Arab world, while trying to reach the greatest possible understanding with the United States and the international community. I aspire to achieve a stable peace, while leaning on the foundations of security for the State of Israel and its citizens."
Netanyahu has yet to finalize his address, and is expected to discuss it this week with his advisers, ministry representatives and other political officials. The speech was moved up from next Tuesday to Sunday - possibly because Netanyahu wants to lay out his principles before Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman leaves for Brussels on Monday to meet with several European counterparts, according to a government source.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak is pushing Netanyahu to take a conciliatory stance on the two-state solution and to announce that he is committed to the principles of the road map. Barak has told Netanyahu that his meetings with American officials in Washington last week gave him the impression that taking such positions would make it easier for Israel to reach an agreement with the United States about settlement expansion for the purposes of natural growth.
"I am optimistic that Netanyahu will accept these positions," Barak said.
Meanwhile, U.S. Mideast envoy George Mitchell will arrive in Israel tonight for talks on halting settlement construction. Mitchell, who will meet with Netanyahu, Barak and Lieberman tomorrow, is also expected to call on Israel to ease restrictions at the Gaza border crossings.
Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign policy chief, is due to visit Israel and the Palestinian Authority on Wednesday and discuss what Netanyahu plans to say in next week's address. Also on Solana's agenda is the future of the process to upgrade ties between Israel and the European Union.