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Israel to Palestinians: How Can We Make Peace If You Won't Talk to Us?

(Reuters) Olesya Dmitracova - Israel urged the Palestinian leadership on Wednesday to return to direct talks. Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev told BBC Radio: "It's clear unfortunately that the Palestinian leadership has adopted a policy where they refuse to engage directly with Israel. And I would ask them; 'How do you expect to make peace with Israel unless you're willing to talk to Israel?'" Regev said it was a "mirage" to think there was any alternative to a negotiated peace agreement. "It was two decades ago, in 1988, that Yasser Arafat declared an independent Palestinian state and he got countries - Third-World countries, communist countries, others - to recognize that state, and I would ask the Palestinians what did that recognition give them? Did it change anything on the ground?" "We are asking for give and take, we are asking for the peace process to be a two-way street, and I ask the Palestinians: 'What are you willing to give to make this process succeed?'"
2011-01-06 10:39:21
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