Israeli MKs: Halt peace negotiations with PA

Senior Israeli politicians have called for Tel Aviv to halt any attempts to restart peace talks with the Palestinian Authority (PA) after a shooting this morning that left three Israeli security forces and one Palestinian dead, according to the Times of Israel.The attack, that took place outside a settlement, came hours after US Special Envoy for the Peace Process Jason Greenblatt arrived in Tel Aviv as part of his efforts to continue peace negotiations. The deaths of the Israeli officials prompted condemnation from across the political spectrum.Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman was quick to blame the PA for the incident, adding that this would be an impediment to the proposed talks.“Before speaking about any kind of negotiations, the world must demand that the PA stop inciting and fanning the flames of terror.”Read: Trump to Netanyahu: ‘Good chance’ for Israeli-Palestinian peaceSimilarly Transport and Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz directly addressed Greenblatt and emphasised that the security of Israel “remains the supreme … and is above any other consideration of improving and easing the lives of the Palestinians”.MK Bezalel Smotrich of the far-right Jewish Home party further stated in a tweet that the only way to end terror attacks was to stop giving the Palestinians hope of a peace deal or two-state solution.“[It is] the usual ritual. We just begin talking about restarting negotiations [with the PA] and already we pay the painful price. Hope is the force that drives murderous Arab terror. Every time we awaken it, it rises up and attacks us. Only removing hope will end terrorism.”

 

Source: Israeli MKs: Halt peace negotiations with PA – Middle East Monitor