Last night Jonathan Sacerdoti, Director of Public Affairs of the Zionist Federation, appeared on BBC News at 8pm.
This can be viewed here
On Thursday morning, 2 September, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas launched direct negotiations in Washington, in the presence of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The Zionist Federation welcomes the United States’ invitation to resume direct talks with the Palestinian Authority, without pre-conditions, and acknowledges that Israel has called for direct negotiations since the formation of the current Israeli government a year and a half ago.
Israel remains deeply committed to peace and aspires to achieve a stable, sustainable agreement that will ensure peace, security and prosperity for both peoples. Obtaining peace between Israel and the Palestinians is a very difficult task, but it remains an achievable goal and an aspiration for Jews around the world. However, Israel needs a courageous partner on the Palestinian side in order to reach a peace agreement. Peace requires a bold Palestinian partner who will stand before his people and declare that, in order to reach a peace agreement, each side must make painful compromises. He must also publicly strengthen and legitimise a Palestinian aspiration for a peaceful end of the conflict (by ending incitement via media, schools and religious outlets, end the glorification of terrorists and murderers, and create a leading voice in Palestinian society that positions the PA and the Palestinians as partners for peace, not as opponents of israel), create a domestic solution to the refugee problem, and recognize Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people. President Sadat of Egypt and King Hussein of Jordan demonstrated this brave leadership in their day. We hope that President Abbas will choose to walk in their footsteps.
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