Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has sent a public message to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) in light of the latter’s insistence on Israeli acceptance of preconditions prior to resuming diplomatic talks. Following is Mr. Netanyahu’s message.

I am sure many of you have heard the claim that Jewish communities in Judea, Samaria, the West Bank, are an obstacle to peace.

I’ve always been perplexed by this notion.

Because no one would seriously claim that the nearly two million Arabs living in Israel – that they are an obstacle to peace. That’s because they aren’t. on the contrary.

Israel’s diversity shows its openness and readiness for peace. Yet the Palestinian leadership actually demands a Palestinian state with on pre-condition: New Jews.

There’s a phrase for that: It’s called ethnic cleaning.

And this demand is outrageous.

It’s even more outrageous that the world doesn’t find this outrageous. Some otherwise enlightened countries even promote this outrage.

Ask yourself this: Would you accept ethnic cleaning in your state? A territory without Jews, without Hispanics, without blacks?

Since when is bigotry a foundation for peace?

At this moment, Jewish schoolchildren in Judea and Samaria are playing in sandboxes with their friends. Does their presence make peace impossible?

I don’t think so.

I think what makes peace impossible is intolerance of others. Societies that respect all people are the one that pursue peace. Societies that demand ethnic cleaning don’t pursue peace.

I envision a Middle East where young Arabs and young Jews learn together, work together, live together, side by side in peace.

Our region needs more tolerance, not less.

So the next time you hear someone say Jews can’t live somewhere, let alone in their ancestral homeland, take a moment to think of the implications.

Ethnic cleaning for peace is absurd.

It’s about time somebody said it.

I just did.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)