January 30, 2008
“The problem is not the absence of a peace agreement or contract or a proposal. There is no peace because there isn’t among the Palestinians…a partner who is willing and able to bring his nation to peace…I suggest we take a different path. I suggest we take the path of economic peace – that is a corridor to a possibility of political peace further down the line…it creates the conditions to ripen the climate, the economic peace can and should prevent the creation of terrorist hotbeds.” --Benjamin Netanyahu, Leader of the Israeli opposition and former Prime Minister, Herzliya Conference, January 21, 2008
“[N]egotiations on permanent status agreement must be perceived as an extremely important component of a comprehensive strategic approach, which also includes components of providing [the Palestinians] with an economic horizon, and right containment of Gaza and Hamas, and rally international support and assistance, and also gaining Arab and Muslim legitimacy to the sacrifices the Palestinian partner has to make. And also, apply gradually components of regional peace into the process itself.”
--Ambassador Avi Gil, former Director-General of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Senior Strategic Advisor at the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation; speech at a Geneva Initiative conference titled An Agreement within a Year, January 13, 2008 (translated by Middle East Bulletin)
