‘THERE’S NO ONE FOR ISRAEL TO NEGOTIATE WITH’:

 Israel is interested in pursuing bilateral negotiations for the resolution of the Israeli-Arab conflict, National Infrastructure Minister Yuval Steinitz said Monday 13 March 2017, but has no partner in the Palestinian Authority willing and able to make peace. Steinitz made the comments on Israel Radio just ahead of the arrival of special White House envoy Jason Greenblatt, who was slated to land in Israel Mondayfor talks with PM Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas. Minister Steinitz slammed the PA leader, arguing his extremist positions made negotiations between the PA and Israel impossible. "Israel is just telling the truth about Mahmoud Abbas’ extreme positions, which negate the existence of Israel as a Jewish state.” (INN) Former Deputy Education Minister Avi Wortzman has likewise in the past sharply criticized the Palestinian Authority for making endless demands to continue peace talks. ''They demanded independence, and we gave it to them. They demanded recognition of a Palestinian state, and we gave it to them. They demanded weapons and we gave them to them. They demanded Hebron, and we gave it to them. They demanded Gaza, and we gave it to them. They demanded terrorist releases, and we gave it to them, again and again," said Wortzman. "In response: we received attacks, we received wounded and dead, we received damage to our economy," he continued. "Now they're coming back and demanding we withdraw to '67 borders, with eastern Jerusalem as their capital. If we do it, God forbid, what will they ask for tomorrow? It's time to demand that we stop giving," he stated. "It's time to put our existential needs and our security before their demands. The time has come to say it clearly: this is our country. Ours - period."