PM's Open Letter to Citizens: Full Text

Arutz Sheva ^ | 27/7/13 | Benyamin Netanyahu

[Eleutheria5]

"Prime ministers are occasionally required to make decisions that are contrary to public opinion, when the matter is one of importance to the state.

"There is no need for prime ministers, in order to make decisions that enjoy the support of public opinion.

"At this time, I believe it is very important for the state of Israel to enter a diplomatic process. This is important for fully exhausting the chances for ending the conflict with the Palestinians, and also for solidifying Israel's status in the complex international reality that surrounds us.

"The huge changes in our region – in Egypt, Syria and Iran – pose new challenges before the state of Israel, but they also present considerable opportunities before us.

"For these reasons, I believe that it is important that Israel enter a diplomatic process that will last at least nine months – in order to examine if an agreement can be reached with the Palestinians within that time.

"But with all the importance that I attach to a diplomatic process, I was not willing to accept the Palestinian demands for retreats and [building] freezes as preconditions for entering into negotiations.

"I was also unwilling to accept their demand to release Palestinian prisoners before the negotiations begin. I did agree to release 104 Palestinians in measured portions after the beginning of the negotiation and in accordance with its progress.

"This is a tremendously difficult decision to make. .... .....

[Eleutheria5]

All I hear is blahblahblahblahblah releasing terrorists, and x-ray machines are being left idle in bus terminals and airport.

What will I be coming back to?

[foundedonpurpose]

Blah blah is right. Is this a leader in Israel?

“This is a tremendously difficult decision to make. .... .....

No it’s not, you have the 3rd largest nuclear arsenal in the world. Go pound sand! And enjoy hell.

To the people that infringe on your borders, take a no tolerance policy and kill them all.

The border issue will go away.

[Prospero]

It's not an optimistic statement, but almost an apology for making a decision to engage in John Kerry's delusional kabuki designed for a domestic audience in the United States, mostly among the pseudo progressive academics and the inmates and followers of the Foggy Bottom asylum.

To his credit, after the Europeans promulgated their anti-semitic labeling policy this past week, stamping on Israel's toes and then expressing outrage when our only ally in the region said "ouch," giving the EU a proper finger was more than suited.

None of this admits to any illusions about the monsters this administration has set off their leashes now on all their borders, within and without.

Israeli opinion, I think, has become quite determined and serious, of late, and with obvious good reason. This kind of apology is remarkably different in tone from the kind of liberal squawking he might have received only a couple of years ago for delaying or obstructing these kinds of mostly useless negotiations with their intractable enemies.

Israel does not sleep, I think, and, if at all, with one eye open.

[Bobalu]

Bibi becomes BooBoo. :-(

n. pl. boo-boos also boo·boos Informal. 1. A stupid mistake; a blunder:

[GeronL]

releasing terrorists

for nothing

trying to make the “west” think we’re trying

going to make the enemies stronger in the end

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Eleutheria5. Benyamin Netanyahu:

...For these reasons, I believe that it is important that Israel enter a diplomatic process that will last at least nine months -- in order to examine if an agreement can be reached with the Palestinians within that time. But with all the importance that I attach to a diplomatic process, I was not willing to accept the Palestinian demands for retreats and [building] freezes as preconditions for entering into negotiations.