Netanyahu calls for direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon towards peace

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu aggressively ruled out Palestinian statehood in a speech to the U.N. on Friday, telling those delegates who stayed to listen that it would be tantamount to "national suicide" for his country.

"Israel will not allow you to shove a terrorist state down our throats. We will not commit national suicide because you don't have the guts to face down the hostile media and anti-semitic mobs demanding Israel's blood," he said.

He denied accusations of "genocide" in Gaza and using "starvation" as a tactic, insisting Israel was actually feeding the people of the devastated Palestinian territory.

"Those who peddle the blood libels of genocide against Israel are no better than those who peddled the blood libels against Jews in the Middle Ages," Netanyahu said.

He added that Israel has "crushed the bulk" of armed Palestinian group Hamas' "terror machine" and sought to finish the job "as fast as possible."

Netanyahu celebrated what he said was a series of Israeli strategic victories in the past year that also included targeting Iran's nuclear program and assassinating the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon.

Netanyahu also credited Lebanon for openness on Hezbollah disarmament, calling for direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon towards peace.



AFP