Failure of talks not our fault: Israel

22 Sep 2011, 10:45 am   -   Source: SBS
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Senior correspondent Brian Thomson talks to Israeli government spokesperson Mark Regev about the Palestinian statehood bid.

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Israeli government spokesperson Mark Regev has welcome US President Barack Obama's advice to his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas to drop a statehood bid for now.

Regev said establishing a Palestinian state recognised by the United Nations would not boost the chances of peace in the troubled region.

However Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki has told SBS that based on everything he has heard Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu say, he does not believe Israel wants a two-state solution at all.

"... I simply fail to understand the Palestinian position where they say 'We want peace, but we boycott Israel, we refuse to talk to Israel'.

"How do they expect to make peace unless they talk to us?"

Regev added that peace could only be achieved ithrough ongoing talks between themselves, rather than via the UN.

"The idea of Palestinian statehood will emerge as a result of solving the conflict, and not as a vehicle with which to continue the conflict," he said.

SBS senior correspondent Brian Thomson asked Regev why - after 20 years of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations - no agreement has been reached on crucial issues.

The sticking points have always been the exact borders of a potential Palestinian state, the right of return of Palestinian refugees and the status of Jerusalem.

 "I'm not sure it's fair to point the finger at Israel and blame us for the failure (to make) a political breakthrough," Regev said.

"I'd remind you that successive Israeli governments have put far-reaching compromises on the table," he added.

"Prime ministers have said let's talk about 1967 borders ... (Former) prime minister Olmert even talked about splitting Jerusalem .. The Palestinian answer was no."

Regev urged the Palestinians to bring all of their demands to the table for ongoing talks.

He deflected accusations that such talks are meaningless while Israel continues to build settlements on land regarded by the international community as Palestinian.

"The current government of Israel under Prime Minister Netanyahu has shown more restraint on the sensitive issue of settlements than any previous government," he claimed.

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Your Comments

not our fault !

melchizedek - from melbourne, 8 months ago

Talk about "blame the victim" The peace loving Israelis have wanted peace since 1948 but the Palestinians wont talk to them ! This sounds like something that would have come of out of Orwells "Ministry of Truth" in his book 1984. As anyone whos read it knows the Ministry of Peace was responsible for War while Minitrue as it was known dealt in lies. Israel has systematicaly dispossed the Palestinians for over 60 years and continue to do so today. Mr Regev is lying with a straight face.

Makes my flesh crawl

David - from Perth, 8 months ago

Everytime I hear this in my opinion evil man speak I fear there is little hope of Israel understanding their position is untenable

Irony

Jonathan - from Sydney, 8 months ago

Spokesman: "the current government of Israel has shown more restraint on the sensitive issue of settlements than any previous government." TRANSLATION: Yeah we're still invading sovereign territory, but at a slightly slower rate than the other governments so that makes it okay

A Palestinian State must exist with borders of 1968 !

qaz - from Melbourne, 8 months ago

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PALESTINE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree

Matt - from USA, 8 months ago

So why are we at the UN in relation to Iran, we must do what you said and that means giving up the Temple.

Like rabbits in the headlights

Matt - from USA, 8 months ago

You take away all their allies, and they are still with their heads in the sand. What they did to the VP and then at the WH, there is a price for that, I mean who do you think you are. Ungrateful ally, spoilt child. You pull that with us, we will kill you all, Jew non Jew we do not care as far as we are concerned you could be martians.

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