Israeli PM says must have presence in West Bank

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel must have a presence in the West Bank to stop rockets from being imported, even after a peace agreement is achieved.

It's the first time that Netanyahu had made such a demand.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, said, "We also must ensure that in that entry to the contiguous areas next to Israel there is a way to effectively stop the infiltration of rockets and other weaponry. And I believe that this requires, in the case of a future settlement with the Palestinians, this will require an Israeli presence on the eastern side of a prospective Palestinian state."

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has proposed that the US administration negotiate the final borders of a Palestinian state with Israel.

Abbas says he won't return to the table without a complete Israeli settlement freeze, something Netanyahu has refused to do.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a meeting with the foreign press in Jerusalem, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)