Netanyahu Refuses Withdrawal to '67 Borders; Hamas Accuses Obama of Siding with Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his rejection of the demand that Israel return to the borders it had before the 1967 war, after President Obama's speech on Middle East policy.
In a statement issued by his office, Netanyahu called on Washington to reaffirm its commitment to "safeguards" that George Bush put forward in 2004. He also said that, aside from everything else, a commitment had been made not to force Israel to return to its 1967 borders and added that withdrawing would leave the Israeli population centers in the West Bank behind the border.
Responding to Netanyahu’s refusal to withdraw to the 1967 borders, the president of the Palestinian Authority described his actions as a rejection of peace and a blow to President Obama's peace efforts. Also, a spokesman for the president of the Palestinian Authority, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said that this refusal was a blow not only to President Obama but to the world as a whole.
For its part, Hamas said that the statement in President Obama's speech on the establishment of a Palestinian state on 1967 borders is a red herring, accusing him of being biased towards Israel. A Hamas leader, Ismail Radwan, said that they do not agree with the American view on Palestinian rights. Also Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, stated that the movement of Palestinian reconciliation is an internal Palestinian affair and external negotiations have demonstrated their useless. He added that Hamas will not recognize the occupation in all circumstances.
In a statement issued by his office, Netanyahu called on Washington to reaffirm its commitment to "safeguards" that George Bush put forward in 2004. He also said that, aside from everything else, a commitment had been made not to force Israel to return to its 1967 borders and added that withdrawing would leave the Israeli population centers in the West Bank behind the border.
Responding to Netanyahu’s refusal to withdraw to the 1967 borders, the president of the Palestinian Authority described his actions as a rejection of peace and a blow to President Obama's peace efforts. Also, a spokesman for the president of the Palestinian Authority, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said that this refusal was a blow not only to President Obama but to the world as a whole.
For its part, Hamas said that the statement in President Obama's speech on the establishment of a Palestinian state on 1967 borders is a red herring, accusing him of being biased towards Israel. A Hamas leader, Ismail Radwan, said that they do not agree with the American view on Palestinian rights. Also Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, stated that the movement of Palestinian reconciliation is an internal Palestinian affair and external negotiations have demonstrated their useless. He added that Hamas will not recognize the occupation in all circumstances.