Here is a long clip from Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech today, in response to Barack Obama’s speech to the Muslim world.

Youtube Video

Some key points from the Jerusalem Post article on the speech:

“I support the idea of regional peace that is being led by Obama,” Netanyahu said, adding that he was willing to meet any Arab leader anywhere.

“I turn to Arab leaders: Let’s make peace, I am ready,” Netahyahu said. “I am willing to go to Damascus, Riyadh, Beirut - to meet anytime and anywhere.”

Netanyahu warned of the threat emanating from Iran, saying, “The biggest threat to Israel, and the middle east and all of humanity is the meeting between radical Islamism and nuclear weaponry.”

Netanyahu called on the Palestinians to “begin peace talks immediately, and without preconditions.” Citing the “heavy toll” the ongoing conflict has taken and mentioning the death of his brother, Yonatan, Netanyahu said, “I don’t want war. Nobody in Israel wants war.”

“If the advantages of peace are so clear, we must ask - why is peace still far? What is perpetuating the conflict for over 60 years? We must reach the root of the struggle,” he continued.

“Let me use the most simple words - the root of the struggle is the refusal to recognize Israel as the Jewish state. The initial Arab refusal was to a Jewish state in any location, before Israeli presence in the West Bank,” the prime minister said.

“The closer we get to an agreement with the Palestinians, the further it is rejected,” he continued. “We tried a withdrawal with an agreement, without one, a partial withdraw and we offered a near-complete withdraw. We uprooted Jewish settlers from their homes, and received a barrage of missiles in return.”

“Sadly, even the Palestinian moderates won’t say the most simple statement - Israel is the Jewish national state, and will remain as such.

“To achieve peace, courage and honesty are necessary from both sides. The Palestinians must say - ‘enough with this conflict. We recognize Israel’s right to exist, and want to live by their side.’

“A public Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish nation-state is a prerequisite for regional peace,” Netanyahu said.

“In the heart of Israel there lives a large group of Palestinians,“ the prime minister continued, noting his will to see a demilitarized Palestinian state existing peacefully alongside Israel.

“For peace,” he said, “we must ensure that Palestinians have no weapons and the opportunity to create pacts with hostile forces. We ask that the US commit that in the end-deal the Palestinian territory will be demilitarized. Without that, sooner or later, we will have another ‘Hamastan.’ And Israel can’t agree to that.”