Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday invited Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to address the Knesset, Israel’s parliament in Jerusalem, and publicly recognise Israel as a Jewish state.
“As I’ve said before on this stage, I am advancing the solution of two states for two peoples,” he said during a special session in the Knesset for the visit of French President Francois Hollande. “Not all Knesset members agree with this, but there is something about which most of us agree. In order for the peace to be real, it must be mutual: One cannot demand that we recognize a Palestinian state without demanding of them to recognize a Jewish state.”
“Mr. President, today you visited the Palestinian Authority,” Netanyahu said, addressing Hollande before the French president's speech. “And I call to Mahmoud Abbas: Let’s break the stalemate. Come to the Knesset, and I will come to Ramallah. Come and recognize a historical truth.”
''Stand at this podium and recognize the historic truth. The Jews have a connection with the Land of Israel stretching back nearly 4,000 years. The Jews are a people with the right for self-definition. Genuine peace will end all Palestinian claims on the State of Israel, including national claims on the country's territory and sovereignty,'' Netanyahu said.