Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu charged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas with hypocrisy on Monday for demanding Israel recognize the nation of Palestine, but not returning the favor for Israelis.
Mr. Abbas said to The New York Times that Palestinians would never recognize Israel as a Jewish nation.
In response, Mr. Netanyahu said, in Ynet News: “It is absurd to think that in an agreement in which we will recognize the nation-state of the Palestinian people, they will not recognize the Jewish state.” Such a view is simply “absurd,” Mr. Netanyahu said, in the media outlet.
Mr. Netanyahu also said that the threat of an economic boycott for failed peace talks wouldn’t change Israel’s mind on that point.
“No pressure will force us to give up Israel vital interests, primarily the safety of Israeli citizens,” Mr. Netanyahu said in the Ynet News report.
Economy Minister Naftali Bennett said similarly.
“There is no price for our security and that of our children’s,” he said, Ynet News said. “Not even a billion dollars will bring back a child killed by a Palestinian rocket.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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