Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu issued a call to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Monday night while addressing American Jews at the General Assembly of Jewish Federations. Netanyahu called on Abbas to resume negotiations immediately, and to drop his condition for a complete construction freeze in Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem. "We should not place preconditions for holding talks; such preconditions have never been set,” Netanyahu said. Israel and the PA must “seize the moment” in order to bring peace and prosperity, he said. “Let's get on with it. Let's move.” "My goal is not negotiations for the sake of negotiations,” the prime minister said. “My goal is to achieve a permanent peace treaty... I cannot be more emphatic on this point.” Bringing peace would benefit Israel, its Arab neighbors, and the entire Middle East, Netanyahu said. “Peace could usher in a new era of tremendous economic progress,” he argued. While expressing eagerness to return to the negotiating table, Netanyahu was firm on his principles. Israel will not freeze construction in contested areas prior to opening negotiations and will not grant citizenship to millions of people claiming descent from Arabs who fled Israel during the War of Independence, he said. "The Palestinians must recognize that the fantasy of flooding Israel with refugees is gone,” he emphasized. Israel will also continue to insist that a PA state in Judea and Samaria be demilitarized, he said. “We cannot permit another Gaza in the heart of our country.” The prime minister also addressed issues relating to Jewish life outside of Israel. He told his listeners that Israel would take responsibility for strengthening Jewish identity in communities worldwide, and assured them that Jews “of any denomination” will always be welcome in Israel.
