“I oppose a Palestinian state — I think it would be a terrible mistake,” says Israeli leader. But what of the man who will take his place in two years, FM Yair Lapid?
Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett says the peace process with the Palestinians is effectively dead at present, and as such there’s no point in even trying to meet with their leaders.
“I don’t see any logic in meeting someone who is suing IDF soldiers at The Hague and accusing them of war crimes, and at the same time paying salaries to terrorists,” Bennett said of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in a pre-Yom Kippur interview with the Kan public broadcaster.
At the same time, Bennett said he is in favor of maintaining cooperation and security ties with the Palestinian Authority for the sake of relative calm, which is why he was not opposed to Defense Minister Benny Gantz meeting with Abbas earlier this month.
But as for the peace process? “We all understand that at the moment it’s not relevant,” insisted Bennett.
Even if talks were to resume, something both the US and Egypt are keen to see happen, Bennett stressed that he would never acquiesce to the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state. “I oppose a Palestinian state — I think it would be a terrible mistake,” he said. “I won’t do that.”
It remains to be seen whether or not Lapid will take a different approach to Abbas and the PA leadership when he assumes the role of prime minister on August 27, 2023.
