Netanyahu… Rules Out More Evictions

Rejects Unilateral Withdrawals

“Peace will go back to being based on reciprocity, not unilateralism.” The Israeli leader then proceeded to outline necessary conditions for a peace deal, including Palestinians recognizing Israel “as the national state of the Jewish people.”

Netanyahu said the necessary conditions for a peace deal, which also include demilitarization of a future Palestinian state and resettling Palestinian refugees outside of Israel’s borders, were “not pre-conditions for the start of a peace process but the basic conditions for establishing a lasting and stable peace. Palestinian moderates should internalize this.”

“Whoever sets preconditions for opening negotiations delays the peace process.” He also reaffirmed that Israel would continue to improve the economic life for the Palestinians “by dismantling barriers to traffic, business and tourism…Whoever will be with us in peace—will prosper.”

—Speaking on the fourth anniversary of the 2005 Gaza Strip Disengagement