Israel tells EU of plan to stop UN bid

TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma'an) -- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the EU president Tuesday that Israeli diplomats would try to convince 30 UN member states to vote against a Palestinian bid for recognition of statehood.

During a meeting with European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek in Jerusalem, Netanyahu revealed that he hoped to "balance out the bid's potential support," Israel's Ynet news reported.

The Israeli leader was also quoted as telling Buzek that if Palestinians "get a taste of having their way, they'll fall in love with it and will never agree to any compromise again."

Netanyahu said peace "will not mean Israel is forfeiting land, but rather that the Palestinians are forfeiting the desire to destroy Israel."

He blamed earlier failures to reach a peace deal on the recent Palestinian refusal to recognize Israel as a "Jewish state," saying the refusal went back "six Israeli prime ministers."

Ehud Olmert was the first Israeli prime minister to introduce the notion of a "Jewish state", and Netanyahu was the first to put recognition of Israel as a "Jewish state" as a precondition.

Palestinians have refused to use the term, saying it would prejudice the Palestinian right of return and jeopardize the rights of Palestinian Muslims, Christians and other minority groups living in Israel.

In response to Netanyahu's briefing, Ynet said Buzek stressed the importance of a return to peace talks.

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