'Two-state solution must mean two homelands for two peoples'
French President Nicolas Sarkozy supports PM Netanyahu’s position on Israeli Arabs, saying they can seek independence in future Palestinian state • Sarkozy: France will never recognize a Palestinian state established unilaterally and unconditionally.
Shlomo Cesana and Daniel Siryoti
French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Saturday showed unprecedented support for Prime Minister Benajmin Netanyahu’s position that Israel must be recognized as the homeland of the Jewish people, telling a gathering of French Jews that “It is not enough to have two states; there must be two states for two nations.”
Speaking to representatives of several French Jewish communities, Sarkozy said that if Israeli Arabs want independence, they will have to fulfill that dream within the Palestinian Authority. “I know very well that there are two ways to destroy Israel: from without and from within. This is why the two-state solution is not enough. We need to have two states for two separate nations. One for the Jewish people and one for the Palestinians,” Sarkozy said.
Referring to the unilateral Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations, Sarkozy also said, “France will never recognize a Palestinian state established unilaterally and unconditionally.” The French president also said he told Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, “Although you are entitled to consideration and attention, there are conditions for that.”
Speaking about Netanyahu, Sakozy called the prime minister “courageous and decisive,” and said, “Due to the fact that everyone is aware of Netanyahu’s resoluteness, he must be more open. He has no need to prove his resoluteness or strength.”
Meanwhile, Israeli officials announced that Israel would abandon its current negotiations with the Palestinians, being held in Jordan, only when a signed agreement between the Western-backed Fatah and the terrorist group Hamas is actually implemented.
The Feb. 6 deal, signed in the Qatari capital of Doha by Abbas and Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Mashaal, put an end to recent efforts by the international community to revive long-stalled negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians on the terms of Palestinian statehood. Abbas appears to have concluded that he has a better chance of repairing relations with Hamas, shunned by the West as a terror group, than reaching an agreement with Netanyahu.
Netanyahu leveled harsh criticism at Abbas for signing the reconciliation agreement with Hamas and agreeing to head a unity government in preparation for elections in the West Bank and Gaza. Netanyahu said Abbas had chosen to “abandon the path of peace” by implementing the deal with Hamas.
The agreement brokered by Qatar appeared to bring reconciliation - key to any Palestinian statehood ambitions - within reach for the first time since Abbas’ Fatah faction and rival Hamas set up separate governments in the West Bank and Gaza in 2007.
Prime Minister’s Office officials told visiting U.S. Middle East envoy David Hale last week that Israel would continue negotiating with the Palestinians as long as the PA government did not include members of Hamas, and Hale reportedly passed on the message to Abbas.
There are already signs, however, that the unification deal is causing rifts within Hamas leadership. On Saturday, Hamas Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar said, “Khaled Mashaal signed the agreement without consulting our leaders.”
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=3080
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