ISRAELI DEFENCE minister Ehud Barak yesterday urged the government to endorse the idea of a Palestinian state, as prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced he will give a major policy speech next week outlining government strategy on peace and security.
Tonight US envoy George Mitchell arrives in Israel, and is expected to turn up the pressure on Jerusalem to accept a two-state solution to the conflict with the Palestinians and to stop all construction at West Bank settlements.
Mr Netanyahu opposes the idea of an independent Palestinian state and insists on Israel’s right to continue to build within the boundaries of existing settlements to accommodate population growth.
But the differences within Israel’s governing coalition were highlighted yesterday when Mr Barak, who is also leader of the Labor party, urged endorsement of the road map peace plan, which calls for the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
The Labor leader predicted that such a move would take the diplomatic pressure off Israel.
“I believe such a position will bring the differences over settlements back to normal proportions.”
Mr Netanyahu told the weekly cabinet meeting that he will make a major policy speech on Sunday, June 14th after holding consultations with the heads of the coalition parties, saying Israel aims to achieve peace with the Arabs in co-operation with the US.
“I intend to achieve a stable peace in which the security of Israel’s citizens will be ensured,” he said. “Next week I will present to the citizens of Israel our principles on achieving this peace and security.”
The prime minister has been criticised in recent weeks for failing to initiate peace moves and risking Israel’s strong ties with Washington.
Opposition leader Tzipi Livni warned that Mr Netanyahu’s opposition to a two-state solution may cause the United States to withdraw its support for Israel.
“In the past it was clear that Israel wanted to accept the peace process,” Ms Livni told Army Radio. “The government today is not prepared to advance the process and set future borders, and the feeling in the world is that all Israel is trying to do is gain time.”
Israeli hopes of reaching a compromise with Washington on the question of settlements based on previous understandings received a blow over the weekend when US secretary of state Hillary Clinton made it clear that the Obama administration was not bound by previous informal agreements.
It was on the basis of these understandings that Israeli settlement construction continued, but Mrs Clinton made it clear that any such agreements are not binding on the new administration.
“There is no memorialization of any informal and oral agreements. If they did occur, they did not become part of the official position of the United States government,” Mrs Clinton told reporters.
In response, a senior Israeli official reiterated Jerusalem’s position that understandings “were reached between Israel and America concerning settlements, and on the basis of those understandings Israel accepted the road map and disengaged from the Gaza Strip.”