By JPOST.COM STAFF
15/10/2010
PA President meets with Hadash MKs in Ramallah; says any deal requiring the recognition or a land swap is out of the question; reiterates demand for 1967 borders.

Any peace agreement which requires the Palestinians to recognize Israel as a Jewish state or an exchange of land is out of the question, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Friday.

In a Ramallah meeting with Hadash party Knesset members, Abbas said that it was now up to Israel to recognize a Palestinian state with 1967 borders, and that the PA had already recognised Israel back in 1993, thus negating the need for any further acknowledgment.

On Monday, Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke at the opening of the Knesset's winter session.

In his speech, the prime minister challenged his Palestinian counterparts to continue the peace talks by saying he would initiate a cabinet proposal to renew a settlement moratorium if the Palestinian Authority would declare its recognition of Israel as a national home for the Jewish people.

"A Palestinian state could be a cause of continued conflict and terror if it is not handled responsibly." The prime minister said.

"Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state is central to the dispute between us [and is necessary for its resolution]. If the Palestinians expect a national state, we can expect our own national state for the Jewish people."

The reason they will never call Israel the Jewish state is that would put to rest for ever their desire to destroy Israel.

If they recognized Israel as The Jewish State and our right to exist how could they then use Judea and Samaria as a launch pad for terrorism like they are using Gaza.