Netanyahu govt says wants peace with Palestinians

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition stressed its desire on Wednesday to achieve peace with the Palestinians and other Arab states as he prepared to present his new government.

“The Jewish people have the undisputable right to a sovereign state in the Land of Israel, its national and historic homeland,” read the coalition guidelines presented to parliament.

“The government will advance the diplomatic process and strive to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians and all our <g data-gr-id="18">neighbours,</g> while maintaining Israel’s security, historical and national interests,” they read.

Any such agreement would be submitted to parliament, known as the Knesset, for approval “and if necessary by law, to a referendum”.

Netanyahu’s new government is set to include ministers intent on expanding Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, an issue that has repeatedly derailed peace talks.

During campaigning for the March 17 election, Netanyahu ruled out the establishment of a Palestinian state if reelected.

Netanyahu has since sought to backtrack on those remarks and issued a public apology for warning on election day that Arab Israelis were going to the polls “in droves”.