Israel Policy Forum Statement on Netanyahu Speech at Bar-Ilan University

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took some noteworthy steps forward in his speech today at Bar-Ilan University - steps which Israel Policy Forum welcomes, but his address was not the large, bold step this moment of opportunity demands, and it raised some serious concerns.

President Obama's demonstrated commitment to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, capped by his pledge in Cairo that he would "personally pursue" a two-state solution "with all the patience that the task requires," offers all the parties to the Arab-Israeli conflict a genuine, renewed opportunity. Seizing this opportunity requires direct, forthright words followed by courageous actions by the region's leaders.

Israel Policy Forum (IPF) therefore welcomes the Prime Minister's acceptance of  a "Palestinian state alongside the Jewish state" and his call for negotiations to begin immediately.

Israel Policy Forum strongly believes that "two-state solution" is much more than a mere slogan. The two-state solution represents the framework for achieving the goal of lasting peace and security for the State of Israel as a Jewish democracy alongside a Palestinian state. It has been accepted and promoted by previous Israeli governments and American administrations. Now that Mr. Netanyahu has seemingly accepted this premise (albeit, without using this phrase), IPF trusts that he will work diligently with President Obama to achieve a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

However, Mr. Netanyahu's insistence on adding an unnecessary condition for the successful conclusion of an agreement with the Palestinians-their recognition of Israel as a Jewish state -- is troubling.  After 61 years of independence as the homeland for the Jewish people, and with the "unbreakable" support of the United States, which was recently reiterated by President Obama in Cairo, Israel should not need others to define it.

Overcoming the numerous obstacles facing peace and security in the region and ultimately reaching an agreement with the Palestinians on the issues that matter - borders, security, Jerusalem, refugees - will be difficult enough, without adding pointless new ones.

Moreover, every American president of the past thirty years has recognized that settlement expansion in the West Bank is an obstacle to peace.  It harms the environment for negotiations with the Palestinians, exacerbates Israel's demographic dilemma, and places the security of Israeli citizens and soldiers at risk. While Prime Minister Netanyahu's declaration that he has "no intention to build new settlements" is also welcome, his failure, however, to pledge to freeze settlement construction in the West Bank, including "natural growth," a vague term used by Israel's settlers and their supporters to justify expanding the number of settlers in the West Bank, is deeply worrisome.

As President Obama declared in Cairo, achieving a two-state solution and ending the conflict between Israel and its neighbors "is in Israel's interest, Palestine's interest, America's interest and the world's interest" and "it is time ... to act on what everyone knows to be true."

Former Israeli Foreign Minister Abba Eban famously remarked that Palestinians "never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity." 

Israel Policy Forum urges all of these parties - Israelis, Palestinians, Arab states - to take the bold steps, enter into negotiations without preconditions and make the necessary compromises in order to seize this opportunity to bring security to Israel and peace and stability to the Middle East.