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Monday, April 20, 2009
Cabinet Communique - including Netanyahu's clear statement on Jewish state and limits required on Palestinian entity

[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA:
Prime Minister Netanyahu makes a clear statement that those advocating a
sovereign Palestinian state are unable to challenge.
"We want for them to rule themselves, except for those powers that could
threaten our security and our existence." ]

"We are currently formulating security-diplomatic policy. This process will
conclude ahead of my trip to Washington in four weeks. In the framework of
these deliberations, we will hold Cabinet and Government discussions. I
would like to set one thing straight in advance simply because it has been
in the media incorrectly today. We insist that the Palestinians - in any
diplomatic settlement with us - will recognize the State of Israel as the
national state of the Jewish people. The entire international community
demands that we recognize the principle of two states for two peoples and we
are discovering that this is two states but not for two peoples but two
states for one people, or two states for a people-and-a-half. That is to
say, there is no doubt that we are being asked to recognize the Palestinian
state as the national state for the Palestinian people but there is doubt
and not just doubt, it is clear from the quick check that we carried out
that the Palestinians have no intention of recognizing the national state of
the Jewish People. Of course, this is completely unacceptable. I will not
now respond to the question of what will be the nature of the settlement,
what will be its components and what authority the Palestinians will have.
We reiterate that we have no intention of ruling over the Palestinians. We
want for them to rule themselves, except for those powers that could
threaten our security and our existence. But there is no doubt that we
insist that they recognize the State of Israel as the national state of the
Jewish People. We have never conditioned the start and existence of talks
on advance agreement about this but neither can we see progress on a future
settlement without their agreement to this condition. Therefore, not only
have we not backtracked from it, we stand behind it strongly and I think
that in this regard, we reflect a very broad consensus, not only around this
table but among the entire nation, a great part of the nation, and rightly
so."
Cabinet Communique

(Communicated by the Cabinet Secretariat)

At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday), 20.4.09:

1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following remarks:

"This evening, the State of Israel marks Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes'
Remembrance Day. Six million of our brethren were massacred during the
Holocaust. Sadly, not everyone learned the lesson. While we gather to
honor their memory, in Switzerland there will assemble a conference
allegedly aimed against racism. Its guest-of-honor is a racist
Holocaust-denier who does not hide his intentions to wipe Israel off the
face of the earth. I commend the countries that are boycotting this show of
hatred. As opposed to those dark days, today a strong Jewish state stands
to ensure the continued existence of the Jewish people in the face of this
new anti-Semitism.

We do not forget the survivors. In a joint proposal with my colleagues,
Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz and Social Welfare and Social Services
Minister Isaac Herzog, we have decided to allocate NIS 20 million from the
basket of services intended for Holocaust survivors and NIS 10 million in
additional funds from the Company for Restitution of Holocaust Victims
Assets, NIS 30 million which we want to earmark to subsidize medicines for
survivors. I am glad that we have found a solution for this vital need of
Holocaust survivors who live among us. It is suitable that they should live
out their lives in honor and in health.

In the final reckoning, the State of Israel is the answer and the key to
ensuring the existence of the Jewish People, to ensuring its security as
well as its welfare and the welfare of the survivors.

My Government will check the dangers to the security of the state even as we
move forward in a responsible and realistic diplomatic process."

2. Regarding reports in the media, Prime Minister Netanyahu said:

"We are currently formulating security-diplomatic policy. This process will
conclude ahead of my trip to Washington in four weeks. In the framework of
these deliberations, we will hold Cabinet and Government discussions. I
would like to set one thing straight in advance simply because it has been
in the media incorrectly today. We insist that the Palestinians - in any
diplomatic settlement with us - will recognize the State of Israel as the
national state of the Jewish people. The entire international community
demands that we recognize the principle of two states for two peoples and we
are discovering that this is two states but not for two peoples but two
states for one people, or two states for a people-and-a-half. That is to
say, there is no doubt that we are being asked to recognize the Palestinian
state as the national state for the Palestinian people but there is doubt
and not just doubt, it is clear from the quick check that we carried out
that the Palestinians have no intention of recognizing the national state of
the Jewish People. Of course, this is completely unacceptable. I will not
now respond to the question of what will be the nature of the settlement,
what will be its components and what authority the Palestinians will have.
We reiterate that we have no intention of ruling over the Palestinians. We
want for them to rule themselves, except for those powers that could
threaten our security and our existence. But there is no doubt that we
insist that they recognize the State of Israel as the national state of the
Jewish People. We have never conditioned the start and existence of talks
on advance agreement about this but neither can we see progress on a future
settlement without their agreement to this condition. Therefore, not only
have we not backtracked from it, we stand behind it strongly and I think
that in this regard, we reflect a very broad consensus, not only around this
table but among the entire nation, a great part of the nation, and rightly
so."

3. GOC Intelligence Maj.-Gen. Amos Yedlin briefed ministers on various
security issues.

4. Pursuant to Article 31(a)-(c) of Basic Law: The Government, the Cabinet
decided to divide the Science, Culture and Sports Ministry. Scientific and
technological matters will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Science
and Technology; cultural affairs and sports will be the responsibility of
the Ministry of Culture and Sports. Minister Limor Livnat will be Culture
and Sports Minister; Minister Daniel Hershkovitz will be science and
technology Minister. Click here for further details.

5. The Government decided which ministers will serve on the Ministerial
Committee for Immigration and Absorption Affairs, the Ministerial Committee
for Symbols and Ceremonies, the Ministerial Committee on Earthquake
Preparedness, the ministerial Committee on the Non-Jewish Sector and
Ministerial Committee on the Struggle against Violence. Click here for
further details.

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