World Jewish News

European unilateral recognition of Palestinian state irresponsible, Netanyahu tells EU's Mogherini

Jewish neighborhoods of Jerusalem will always be part of Israel, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he dismissed international charges that Jewish building over the Green Line was harmful to the peace process.
He also chastised as “irresponsible” European politicians who have called for unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood.
“Jerusalem is Israel’s capital and it is not a settlement,” Netanyahu said on Friday morning as he met with the new European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini.
“The neighborhoods where Jews live and where we are building, have been in the hands of Israeli governments for the last 50 years,” Netanyahu said.
“Everyone knows they will remain part of Israel in any peace arrangement,” he said.
“I reject the false claim that this settlement or another is the root of the conflict,” he said.
“The issue is not territory, but Israel’s right to exist and the refusal of others to recognize that, no matter what the border,” he said.
Israel has recognized that Palestinian state, but Palestinians have not recognized that Jews have that same right, he said.
In a reference to Sweden’s recognition of Palestine as a state last month, Netanyahu told Mogherni that it was totally “irresponsible” for European nations to take such a step.
There can’t be a situation where Europe recognizes a Palestinian state that doesn’t accept Israel as a Jewish state and doesn’t honor Israel’s security interests, Netanyahu said.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF

JPost.com