Netanyahu all for conditional peace talk

Netanyahu’s comments were a formal response to a speech last week by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who promised Israel warmer ties if it accepted efforts to resume peace talks. “The Arab peace initiative includes positive elements that can help revive constructive negotiations with the Palestinians,” Netanyahu said, echoing comments he made a year ago to Israeli reporters. “We are willing to negotiate with the Arab states revisions to that initiative so  that it reflects the dramatic changes in the region since 2002 but maintains the agreed goal of two states for two peoples,” he added.

Netanyahu spoke moments after ultra nationalist Avigdor Lieberman was sworn in as Israel’s new defence minister and Israel’s fragile rightwing coalition gained vital support in parliament.

The original Arab plan offered full recognition of Israel but only if it gave up all land seized in the 1967 Middle East war and agreed to a “just solution” for Palestinian refugees. But in 2013, after the initiative’s terms were softened to include possible land swaps between Israel and the Palestinians, Netanyahu signalled a readiness to consider it.

Previous attempts to engage Palestinians and Israelis in talks have come to nought.