Former Israeli PM on Palestinian issue

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Source: CCTV.com | 11-11-2008 09:30

Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu promises to continue negotiating with the Palestinians if he wins the general election next February. He also promised to make the Palestinian economy a priority.

Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu promises to continue negotiating with the Palestinians if he  wins the general election next February. (CCTV.com)

Netanyahu said that if his Likud party returns to power next year, he would move political negotiations forward and put a fresh emphasis on efforts to boost the ailing Palestinian economy.

The former Israeli prime minister's comments came a day after an international conference in Egypt between the outgoing Israeli government, the Palestinians and the so-called Quartet of international peace negotiators.

They said talks must continue after US President George W. Bush leaves office in January.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli opposition leader, said, "One of the things we talked about is how to make sure that the peace process moves forward in a credible and successful way and that we don't repeat the failures of the past. If we, as I believe, will form the next government, we will move both the political negotiations forward and the economic peace that we have been working on together."

However, the hardline leader offered no details on how he might advance peace talks if he were elected prime minister.

But in a recent speech to parliament, Netanyahu said Israel would have to retain all of Jerusalem and large chunks of West Bank territory claimed by the Palestinians.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei