[English adds critical word by mistake] PM Netanyahu welcomes the invitation of the United States to begin direct negotiations without preconditions.

Dr. Aaron Lerner
IMRA
22 August '10

[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA:

While the English translation of the announcement has PM Netanyahu saying that the desire is to reach a peace agreement "that will protect Israel's national security interests, foremost of which is security" (see below) the original Hebrew message reads "that will protect Israel's national interests, foremost of which is security."
www.pmo.gov.il/PMO/Communication/Spokesman/2010/08/spokedirect200810.htm

The addition of the word "security" to "national interests" in the English translation was an honest mistake, but is important to correct.

Israel's "national interests" go well beyond security.

Israel has a "national interest", for example, that for generations to come, Jews will continue to be able to pray at ancient sites sacred to Judaism in places such as Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Hebron. And this while taking into account that historically, Moslems consider it blasphemy for Jews to pray at these ancient sites that have been adopted by Islam, and that no matter what "iron clad" guarantees of access one might put on paper - should a foreign sovereign control these sites, there is, realistically, no way to insure that those "iron clad" guarantees don't rust out over time.

Put simply, if the IDF had a special gizmo that could satisfactorily protect Israel's national security interests with Israel finding itself on the '67 lines - including the complete division of Jerusalem, Israel still would have national interests to address on the other side of that line.]

PM Netanyahu welcomes the invitation of the United States to begin direct negotiations without preconditions.
20/08/2010
www.pmo.gov.il/PMOEng/Communication/Spokesman/2010/08/spokedirect200810.htm

Prime Minister Netanyahu welcomes the invitation of the United States to begin direct negotiations without preconditions.

The Prime Minister has been calling for direct negotiations for the past year and a half. He was pleased with the American clarification that the talks would be without preconditions.

The Prime Minister added that Israel wants to conduct serious and comprehensive talks.

"Reaching an agreement is a difficult challenge but is possible. We are coming to the talks with a genuine desire to reach a peace agreement between the two peoples that will protect Israel's national security interests, foremost of which is security." [AL: Should read "national interests"]

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