Steinitz: ‘This government is in favor of two states for two people’

I have been discussing whether Netanyahu is just playing the game or really intends to try to make a deal even if the concessions are painful. One very knowledgeable academic believes that Bibi is ready for an act of “constructive unilateralism”. One journalist believes Bibi is just playing the game. . Whether Bibi means it or is just playing the game, I am against him either way. Two days ago Steinitz came out against Peres for the remarks he made. And now Steinitz is saying the government is in favour of the two-state solution. Notice that he didn’t say “along ’67 lines”. The Palestinians don’t accept anything less that a solution based on ’67 lines. So is Steinitz just playing the game on Bibi’s orders. Ted Belman

By RAPHAEL AHREN, TOI

A senior cabinet minister on Tuesday endorsed the two-state solution as a framework for solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, rebutting Palestinian claims that the government has no unified position on the issue.

“The government’s position is very clear, and I support it: We do support [a] two states for two peoples solution,” Minister of Intelligence, International Relations and Strategic Affairs Yuval Steinitz told The Times of Israel. “We are ready to make painful concessions on two conditions: that there will be peace and security”

A member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, Steinitz acknowledged that key members of the governing coalition are staunchly supposed to a two-state solution – “but this is not that important,” he said. “Because after all it’s the government’s positions, and especially the prime minister’s positions, that matter. And Prime Minister Netanyahu made it very clear — and I think most of us support his position — but he made it very clear that this government is in favor of two states for two people solution, [under] two conditions: that it will be real peace and real security.”

Speaking from Jordan on Monday, where he had attended the World Economic Forum along with a host of world leaders, businessmen and politicians, senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat had charged that the current Israeli government and its head did not support the two-state solution based on the 1967 lines.

“I know you are a democracy, I know you have a [governing] coalition, but usually a coalition has a program,” Erekat said. “I hope to hear from the prime minister that he accepts, to reflect the majority of Israelis, two states on the 1967 borders.”

Genuine peace would entail a “real recognition” of Israel as a Jewish state and the end of all claims and incitement against Israel, Steinitz said, speaking on the sidelines of a conference in Jerusalem. Israel’s security requirements include a “total demilitarization” of a future Palestinian state. Jerusalem would have the right to supervise and control that arrangement in order to be able to prevent arms smuggling or “any other negative security developments in the West Bank,” the minister said.

“We have to make sure that what happened following the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza will not repeat itself in the West Bank,” he said, referring to rocket fire from the Strip on Israel’s south since the 2005 disengagement.

While efforts to restart peace talks are ongoing under the leadership of US Secretary of State John Kerry, some key members of Netanyahu’s government have in recent weeks vocally reiterated their staunch opposition to the two-state solution. Many ministers and MKs object to the creation of a Palestinian state as matter of principle, including Deputy Foreign Minister Ze’ev Elkin, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein and Deputy Transportation Minister Tzipi Hotovely (all Likud) as well as the entire Knesset faction of the pro-settler Jewish Home party, led by Economy Minister Naftali Bennett.

On Sunday at the WEF conference in Jordan, President Shimon Peres said that “as far as the Palestinians are concerned we have a functioning beginning and an agreed solution. The solution is the two state solution.” Several right-wing politicians, including Steinitz, attacked Peres for speaking on the government’s behalf about Israel’s position vis-à-vis the conflict, insisting he was not an official spokesman. Peres had met with Netanyahu to coordinate his comments before he left for the Jordan meeting.

May 28, 2013 | 11 Comments »

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11 Comments / 11 Comments

  1. The situation… could not be clearer. Israelitists, not the Jewish people, remains in control of what pretends to be a state. And Netanyahu as well as Peres again are aiming only for more Nobels.
    MA HALA… Phonetic Hebrew for “what is to ne expected”?
    Left tho their devices they will;
    A. Fabricate “polls” as has been done dozens of times in the pastt… The MSM is readdy to spread that.
    B. Secretely, as was done in Oslo, conspire to dismember heavily Jewish populated regions to be delivered to Islam. They have prepared specific Manuals including instructions to attack Jewish encalves. This was published by newspapers following “disengagement” identifying a special Section in the Kiriah, Tel Aviv developing said manuals.
    C There are THREE/four islamic strongholds. Jordan, Gaza and sections of Yehudah & Shomron. As well as sections of what the Israelitists call Israel.
    D. Most of the Jewish Heritage reserves of shale oil and water are under Yehudah and Shomron so by severing that to Islam the Israelitists also intentionally sabotage our oil and water resources.
    E. There have been NO CONSTRUCTION of relevance since the original freeze and none will take place hereafter.
    F. The so called idf is instructed to gradually abandon Jewish security completely in all aspects.
    G> Iran will not be attacked for effect if at all.

    More to be disclosed…

  2. Just in case some people are confused, why I am suddenly Viiit instead of Vivarto.
    Well I am also confused. My Vivarto has disappeared.
    Not sure what changed.

  3. Very harmful game.
    The longer Bibi is playing this game that “he is supporting a solution that Arab reject” the more the word is convinced that Israel is occupying “Palestinian” land.
    totally wrong approach.
    The right approach is to claim that Judea and Samaria are Jewish land. They have always been and that we never give up the title to it.
    We can tolerate Arabs if they behave as well behave guests, but we are not letting them take over our home. That’s not guests, that’s occupation.

  4. Let’s be serious, the US and the Israeli Left are aiming for a three state solution, Hamastan in the Gaza Strip, PLO Terrorstan in Judea and Samaria, and a chopped up and barely viable Jewish State of Israel. The Palestinians on the other hand, have in mind a one state solution called Palestine, with no Israel and every Jew dead. The Netanyahu government is trying to accommodate all these positions while keeping Israelis secure, and keeping Judea and Samaria from becoming Hamastan Bet.

  5. @ Canadian Otter:

    thanks – lovely stuff – love the hotel lobby room in Turkey – not that I’d be caught dead in Turkey – er ah actually I guess I would be.
    .

    Now find me someplace close to home in the Rockies where I’ll be safe from the Islamics. For a long long time.
    A long long long long time.

  6. @ Canadian Otter:

    1.
    Didn’t show any interior pics of the houses in under the rock. Would like to see.

    2.
    Very beautiful- Wisteria! And no Muslims either!!! It’s almost like paradise!

    Imagine there’s no Islam
    It’s easy if you try
    No bombers around us
    Above us only sky
    Imagine all the people
    Leaving Islam behind.

  7. PICTURES – A town built under a rock – quite impressive – It can make someone nervous just from looking at it. – http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2325909/Between-rock-hard-place-Amazing-pictures-town-really-lives-rock.html

    Remember the magical blue and purple tree of souls in Avatar? This beautiful wisteria park in Japan is reminiscent of that scene. Quite enchanting. – http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2324253/Flowers-world-Enchanting-wisteria-vines-Japan-real-life-version-blockbuster-Avatars-Tree-Souls.html

  8. The Jews and the Arabs.

    The Arabs have always rejected the formula! They are not prepared to accept a Jewish State in the Middle East no matter where the borders are drawn.

    So the TSS in effect will remain a pipe dream because the Arabs want to destroy Israel. They do not want a state alongside Israel.

    There are two peoples claiming national self-determination. The Arab position has always been that the Jews do not have this right. Thus no agreement is going to happen.

  9. The “Peace talks” saga is only a diversionary tactic. Using the most basic of all magicians’ act, your authorities keep your attention riveted on “peace talks” and border issues, when the real action – the transfer of Israel to the Arabs on both sides of the Green Line – is taking place right now, gradually, every single day, and has been going on since 1967. From Sinai to Gaza, to Negev, to entire neighborhoods being taken over by Arabs. And institutions that are not Arab yet, are dominated by their temporary surrogates, the ultra left.

    Now your authorities have an additional helper: Iran. The Iran threat is real, but it is also a very convenient way for them to provide you with a “common enemy,” so that people won’t notice that it is their own authorities acting in conjunction with the Arabs who are Israel’s biggest threat.

  10. WHICH TWO PEOPLES? PA Arabs and Arab Israelis? Do Jews have a state at all? Or has the left irreversibly hijacked Israel as a state where Jews can only expect Dhimmi status? ~~~ Jews appear to have taken the role of hard-working elves who keep the economy going, but who are made to endure humiliation, injury and even loss of life at the hands of Arabs. ~~~ Read this news report and weep. “Ganz tells Knesset why IDF can’t protect Jews” – http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/168397 – This very-leftist head of the IDF does not even talk to Jews who live in their ancestral land of Judea and Samaria. In an act reminiscent of Nazi Germany discriminatory practices – he demanded that they should be removed from the room before he would speak to the audience. And what kind of audience was that, that remained in the room instead of leaving along with their fellow Jews in solidarity? The whole situation is absolutely nauseating. ~~~ And yes, Ganz made it official: The IDF cannot protect Jews because it would make the Arabs angry. ~~~ All those who have shed their blood so that Jews could have a country of their own where they could be safe would be disgusted.