Jerusalem, December 28: Israeli prime minister has ruled out the idea of a full-fledged Palestinian state and refugees' right to return to their homeland.
On Monday, Benjamin Netanyahu said Tel Aviv would not divide al-Quds (Jerusalem) -- the eastern part of which is wanted by the Palestinians as the capital of their future state, AFP reported.
Netanyahu said he wanted a demilitarized Palestinian state. The Israeli premier also said he wanted Palestinians to renounce refugees' right to return to their homes.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has rejected the Israeli proposals.
Israel fabricated its existence in 1948 during full-scale military offensives against the Arab world, forcing 711,000 Palestinians to leave their homeland. 2008 estimates put the number of Palestinian refugees at over 4.6 million.
In 1967 and during, what became to known as, the Six-Day War, Tel Aviv went on to occupy and later annex the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, East al-Quds and the Gaza Strip in a move not recognized by the international laws.
Israel carried out a self-proclaimed withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, but has been keeping the coastal sliver under recurrent attacks, notably the intense ones at the turn of 2009, which killed more than 1,400 Palestinians.
Besides East al-Quds as the capital, the future Palestinian state is expected to comprise the West Bank and Gaza.
US-brokered talks between Israel and the PA broke down in September after Tel Aviv refused to extend a partial freeze on its construction and expansion of illegal Jewish settlements on the occupied Palestinian lands.
--------Agencies
defense or offense?
Israel's war of 1948 was undeniably defensive. One of her strategies then was to drive out Palestinians from their homes but with every intent to forever forbid them to return.
In 1967-1971 Israel turned another defensive action into an offensive campaign, her objecrive being to posses all of Palestine, Syria's Golan Heights, parts of Lebanon, both banks of the Jordan River, and other Palestinian water sources. She has maintained an offensive attitude ever since.
What has this to do with Jewish refugees in muslim countries around the world?
Bibis coments
The writer of this article reflects the idiotic mentality of the Islamic world.The ignore all historical facts clearly documented regarding the state of Israel and the wars that follow.Israel accepted the UN MANDATE AND THE ARABS REJECT IT.The Arabs declared war which they lost.Then they started another war, but this time they lost not only the war but a lot of their territories. To the victors belong the spoils, and if the Arabs want to blame the Israelis for their misfortune, they can blame their governments for encouraging them to leave their homes and come back victors.
"Israel fabricated its
"Israel fabricated its existence in 1948 during full-scale military offensives against the Arab world" ???? What planet do you live on? Israel was attacked by at least SIX Arab countries!!! How was that a 'military offensive'? There is no word to describe that but DEFENSIVE!!
Let's talk about the Nakba of Jewish people from EVERY muslim country in the world! And about all of THOSE refugees!
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