... there is no reason for the Palestinians NOT to recognize the Jewish State. No one in Israel would have a problem recognizing the eventual Palestinian State.

the additional requirement of recognising Israel as a Jewish state was cooked up by Netanyahu a couple of years ago.

The equivalent would be if Ireland or Italy demanded that the world recognise them as Catholic states.

The Palestinians object on the basis that recognising Israel as a state of Jews only would prejudice the interests of Israel's Arab minority.

Both Ireland and Italy have been, within our own lifetimes, declared Catholic States.

"The 97.67% of Italians are baptized according to the rite of the Catholic Church. According to a survey of Eurispes 2006, 87.8% of the population declares itself Catholic. Italy didn't disestablish Catholicism as the State Religion until 1984."

In Ireland, "In 2011, 84.2% of the population identified themselves as Roman Catholic. Catholicism was was disestablished as the State Religion in 1974." Article 44 of the Constitution of Ireland begins "The State acknowledges that the homage of public worship is due to Almighty God. It shall hold His Name in reverence, and shall respect and honour religion."

Israel, by comparison, is only 75% Jewish and, as with present day Ireland and Italy, freedom of religion practice is enshrined in the Basic Law.

Recognition of Israel as a Jewish State takes "Right of Return" off the table as a Palestinian demand, but also prevents Israel from annexing the entirety of the West Bank.

The Arab minority of Israel, about whom you seem so concerned, has lived in legal and political equality with Jewish Israelis for nearly 70 years. However, if at sometime in the future they are oppressed by the big, scary Jewish majority, I'm sure they could find safe haven in the fledgling Palestinian State. A luxury that pre-Israel Jews didn't have when they were being slaughtered by the millions.

Now I see that some people are determined that future Jewish communities won't have one the next time. You might think it sucks, is unfair, or is totally whack, that Jews, so often the target of homicidal rampages at the hands of their host countries, need to have a state where they can determine their own destinies, but you would have to have lived under a rock, in a cave, on Mars to claim not to know WHY they need one.

"annexing the entirety of the West Bank." Well, at least you are honest as to what Israel is doing.


Annexing sounds so much nicer than thefting. No?

Last I looked Israel has not declared it's Eastern borders

apparently they are sufficiently self-secure in their Catholicism that they don't need anyone else to recognise it for them.

Nearly half of Israelis support the notion of transfer - ethnically cleansing Israel of its remaining Arabs:-

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/survey-most-israeli-jews-wouldn-t-give-palestinians-vote-if-west-bank-was-annexed.premium-1.471644

Incorrect. The Arabs were under military administration until 1966, meaning that they could only reside in specified areas, and could only travel if they had tickets of leave from the Civil Administration. During this time, most of their land was confiscated from them under the absentee property laws.

And here's one article or video after the next proving so....

http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=826

Now you guys may believe that signing a piece of paper is enough, but all it goes to show is that you don't believe the PLO should be held accountable for anything they sign. I wonder what kind of "peace" you envision given that you don't expect the PLO to hold to its word. Signing a piece of paper is enough for you...

possible. people can be stubborn about things like this and not wanting to say certain things. but with peace and time things can change for the better.

That's the title of this article.

Israel will always be a Jewish State, n matter whether Abbas gives it his official blessing

However, Israel has every right to ask for it during negotiations. Just as the Palestinians have the right to ask for RoR. As long as neither side thinks it's actually going to get what it wants, they can ask for whatever they want.

So as to cancel out the abbas precondition of a settlement freeze. In that respect it was pretty clever, bibi knows abbas cannot "say the words" so he trades that for the other side giving up the freeze, which is a lot more significant.

Then again abbas does not have any real standing so until there are elections in the OTs no one can honestly and legally represent the Palestinian people.

The guy is an Israeli politician's wet dream.