UK, France lay red lines on terms for Palestinian state

From: Jerusalem Post

Sarkozy, Cameron tell Netanyahu that new Palestinian government must renounce terrorism, recognize Israel; prime minister says "Israel can only make peace with those who have abandoned goal of destroying it."

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu returns to Israel Friday having secured the support of two key European countries — France and England — against any Palestinian government that fails to renounce terror and refuses to recognize Israel’s right to exist.

Speaking to the press after his meeting with Sarkozy on Thursday, Netanyahu said that the French leader “spoke of his commitment to Israel’s security and the clear principle that those who want to make peace have to abandon the goal of destroying Israel and make peace with Israel,” Netanyahu said.

He added that according to Sarkozy, that included a recognition “Israel’s right to exist as the nation state of the Jewish people. He was very clear about that,” Netanyahu said.

"Just like any fair minded person, Israel can only make peace with those who have abandoned the goal of destroying Israel,” Netanyahu said.

Hamas has not done that, he said, adding that more to the point, it continues to fire rockets at Israel.

“An enemy that wants to destroy us is not a partner for peace,” he said.

Only the day before, Sarkozy had told French news magazine L’Express that he would consider recognizing a Palestinian state in September should no progress be made in the peace process.

Until last week when Fatah announced its intention to unity with Hamas, support for a unilateral Palestinian statehood in September had been gaining steam.

But European leaders who have long wanted to see both a Palestinian state, particularly one that unifies Fatah and Hamas, are hesitant to support a Palestinian government that is composed of a group which has not renounced its goal of destroying Israel.