Netanyahu is ready to resume peace talks ‘immediately’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he is ready to resume direct political negotiations with the Palestinians immediately and without any preconditions.

At the beginning of his meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron in the London yesterday, Netanyahu said: “The Middle East is disintegrating under the twin forces of militant Islam: the militant Sunnis led by Daesh and the militant Shias led by Iran, and I believe that we can cooperate in practical ways to roll back the tide of militant Islam both in the Middle East and in Africa altogether,” using an acronym for the Islamic State.

“I want to say here in 10 Downing Street, and reaffirm again, that I am ready to resume direct negotiations with the Palestinians with no conditions whatsoever to enter negotiations, and I’m willing to do so immediately,” he added.

The Palestinian-Israeli negotiations stopped early last year and there have been no signs of it being resumed any time soon.

The Palestinians have called for freezing Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank, the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, and setting a deadline for ending negotiations.

Immediately after arriving in Britain on Wednesday, Netanyahu met with leaders of the Jewish community in Britain.

During his meeting with the community leaders, he attacked the BDS groups.

“Fight back. Don’t give in. It’s an important struggle for public opinion, and it must be done with determination while making heard in clear voice that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East, and stands on the front line in the struggle against extremist Islam,” he told them.

Netanyahu arrived in the UK early on Wednesday for an official visit. Over 100,000 Brits signed a petition protesting the visit and calling for his arrest on charges of crimes against humanity.