Days before the Israeli election, in an attempt to win over right-wing voters, Netanyahu said that he would never agree to the creation of a Palestinian state. Now that the elections are over, the Prime Minister has taken to the US airwaves and denied that the statement went against his commitment to seeking a Palestinian state, but rather, that the conditions were not yet ripe for that option.
Speaking to Fox New, Netanyahu said “I didn’t retract any of the things I said in my speech six years ago, calling for a solution in which a demilitarized Palestinian state recognizes a Jewish state. I said that the conditions for that, today, are not achievable.”
Netanyahu additionally insisted that the Palestinian Authority must sever all ties with Hamas, recognize the Jewish state, and engage in “genuine” peace talks with Israel.
