Netanyahu: Abbas' refusal to recognize Israel as Jewish state is 'absurd'

[Jefferson23]

PM urges those states who have 'pressured Israel' to similarly pressure the Palestinians, so that they understand the consequences of failed negotiations.

By Jonathan Lis and Haaret| Feb. 3, 2014

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that it is "absurd" to expect a peace deal with the Palestinians without the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state.

Speaking at a meeting of his Likud party, Netanyahu responded to remarks that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas made in the New York Times, in which he reiterated his objection to recognizing Israel as the Jewish state, saying, “This is out of the question."

Abbas argued that neither Jordan nor Egypt had been asked to do the same when they signed peace accords with Israel.

"The Palestinian Authority president was quoted as saying he is unwilling to recognize a Jewish state, when he knows that there won’t be an agreement without recognition of a [Jewish] national homeland," Netanyahu told fellow Likud members.

in full: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.572186

[Scootaloo]

1. Two question for Mr. Bibbles and his salivating fans on DU.

1) Are there non-Jews who are citizens of Israel, part of Israel's culture, government, and society?

2) is Israel's legal system based off of Jewish religious law?

[Igel]

2. Simpler question:

Will Palestine be a Palestinian state?

Would that imply no non-Palestinians can be citizens? Or that Islamic law will form the philosophical underpinnings of at least part of Palestinian law? (It's not like Talmudic law forms the core of Israeli law.)



I think it's clear that Abbas wants a Palestinian state.

I can't imagine that they'd bar non-ethnic Palestinians from being citizens. (There are likely already ethnic Circassians and Armenians, to be sure.) Perhaps the Sudanese refugees would find a welcome home there?

And if the majority of the population is Muslim, it only stands to reason that this will be reflected in the laws. Russia is Russian because of the Russians, and China is Chinese because of the Chinese.