BICOM

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday addressed the American pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC and said an historic peace deal with the Palestinian Authority (PA) is possible which would revolutionise regional relations.

Netanyahu said that, “Peace is Israel’s highest aspiration” and that it is not only in the interests of both Israel and the Palestinians. He explained that, “peace would also open up the possibility of establishing formal ties between Israel and leading countries in the Arab world.” He called it “fact” that “many Arab leaders today already realize that Israel is not their enemy.”

In particular, Netanyahu said that, “The combination of Israeli innovation and Gulf entrepreneurship,” could help solve regional water and energy problems and improve agriculture and education. In short, said Netanyahu, “We could better the lives of hundreds of millions” through peace.

Although, Netanyahu said the PA would need to take action to make this a reality. In particular, Netanyahu reiterated insistence that the PA recognise Israel as a characteristically Jewish state as a basic foundation of mutual recognition. He explained that, “In doing so, you’d be telling the Palestinians that, while we have a territorial dispute, the right of the Jewish people to a state of their own is beyond dispute,” adding, “The Palestinians need to stop denying history.” While, “We’re working day and night to secure a durable peace,” Netanyahu said, “I hope the Palestinian leadership will stand with Israel and the US on the right side of the moral divide – On the side of peace, reconciliation and hope.”

In response to Netanyahu’s speech, Israel’s opposition and Labour Party leader Isaac Herzog said he agreed with the content of the address, but believes “less and less that Netanyahu wants and will be able to be the one who will lead us to a diplomatic settlement.”