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Netanyahu says Israel will not become binational state

Xinhua, December 6, 2015 Adjust font size:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said Israel will not become a binational state, blaming the Palestinians for the standstill in the peace process.

Netanyahu's comments were made as response to a rebuke by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who accused the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships for the long-stalled peace process that blocks the two-state solution.

"Israel will not become a binational state, but in order for there to be peace, the other side must decide if they want peace," Netanyahu said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, according to a statement from his office.

"Unfortunately, this is not what we are seeing," the Israeli Prime Minister added, slamming Palestinian officials for what he dubbed as incitement to violence.

U.S. Secretary of State spoke of the halt in diplomatic contacts between Israelis and Palestinians on Saturday during the annual Saban Forum in Washington, where officials from both countries discuss the U.S.-Israeli relations and burning topics.

Kerry warned that the two-state solution is becoming less feasible as the standstill between Israelis and Palestinians continues, and also warned of the possible collapse of the moderate Palestinian Authority.

He also charged Israel's ongoing settlement activity suggests a future annexation of the West Bank territories.

Israel occupied the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip territories in the 1967 Mideast War. The Palestinians want to establish a state on these territories, amid the two-state solution, and bring to an end 50 years of Israeli occupation.

These comments come a week after Kerry made a 24-hour visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, in order to help quell the ongoing two-month wave of violence, which claimed the lives of 19 Israelis, one U.S. national, and more than 100 Palestinians.

The visit did not prove beneficial, according to reports by Israeli media outlets, as both leaders refused to make confidence-building measures towards the other side.

The last round of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, mediated by Kerry, ended in April 2014 without results. Following the results of the March 2015 elections, Israel is now reigned by the most right wing government in its history, with many of its members objecting to making concessions to the Palestinians and opposing the two-state solution.

Also on Sunday's cabinet meeting, Netanyahu condemned comments made over the weekend by Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom, who accused Israel of executing Palestinian attackers of recent stabbing, shooting and vehicular attacks without trial.

Netanyahu slammed the comments, calling the accusations "outrageous" and adding that Israelis will "not offer their necks to those who wish to stab them" and adding Israeli authorities will "continue to protect Israeli lives."

Israel has been accused by human rights groups and the Palestinians for using excessive force in subduing Palestinian attackers in the past two months, after they no longer are considered a threat.

Wallstrom had already taken heat by Israeli officials last month, after discussing the frustration of Palestinian youth from the Israeli occupation, several days after the Paris terror attacks in which 130 people were killed, implicitly tying the two issues together. Endit