PM: I'm the one who will establish peace between 2 states

Netanyahu claims "a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes a Jewish state" can be established "if the Palestinians want it"; says if Quartet is proposing direct talks with no pre-conditions he's on board.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu 311 (R) (photo credit: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu 311 (R)
(photo credit: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu addressed his domestic audience on Saturday, the day after his speech to the UN General Assembly in New York, saying "I will be the one who establishes a peace agreement between two nation-states, one of which will be a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes a Jewish state." Netanyahu's comments came in an interview with Channel 2 news.
"If these basic conditions are agreed to, and we can ensure all of our security needs are met, we can achieve a peace agreement," the prime minister added.
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In the interview, Netanyahu put the responsibility for the impasse in peace talks on the shoulders of the Palestinians, as he did in his address to the UN on Friday, which followed PA President Mahmoud Abbas's speech in which he confirmed that he had submitted a request to the UN for recognition of Palestine as a full member state of the world body.
"If the Palestinians want this, it will happen. If they don't want this, it won't happen," Netanyahu stated.
The prime minister said that if the Quartet of Middle East mediators was offering the resumption of direct negotiations with no pre-conditions, he would support the initiative. "I've been calling for this for two-and-a-half years," Netanyahu stated. The prime minister was scheduled to convene his inner cabinet on Monday to discuss the Quartet proposal, floated on Friday, which calls for the resumption of peace talks on a timeline that would lead to an agreement by the end of 2012.
Netanyahu stated that the Palestinians must be willing to make concessions and not only ask Israel to make concessions. Specifically he mentioned the recognition by the Palestinians of a Jewish state and the abandonment of demanding a right of return for Palestinian refugees.