Скачать или смотреть ISRAEL: NETANYAHU RETURNS DEFENDING MIDEAST PEACE DEAL (2)

(25 Oct 1998) Hebrew/Eng/Nat

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is back home in Israel, defending the new Mideast peace deal.

Netanyahu says last week's agreement closes a lot of holes in what he calls the "Swiss cheese" created by the 1993 Oslo peace accords.

Some West Bank settlers are angered by his concessions over land, but Netanyahu says no Israeli government could have got a better deal.

Hours after Jewish settlers staged road-blocking protests across the West Bank on Sunday to protest at the new peace accord, the Israeli leader arrived at Ben Gurion Airport to a red-carpet welcome.

He said security concessions won from the Palestinians during the nine-day summit outside Washington would justify the ceding of more West Bank land.

The agreement signed at the White House on Friday calls for an Israeli handover of 13.1 per cent of the West Bank to Palestinian civilian control.

That means some Jewish settlements will be surrounded by Palestinian-controlled territory, except for access roads.

Netanyahu says the deal is a political risk.

And Israeli politicians from most parties have predicted political turmoil in the wake of its signing.

Twelve of Netanyahu's supporters in the parliament say they will
vote against him in upcoming no-confidence motions.

Netanyahu has only a one-seat majority in the 160-seat Knesset.

But the Israeli premier also says the deal ends a one-sided process of Israel giving and not receiving.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
I think we've got a better agreement, a more secure agreement, an agreement that leaves us in an infinitely better position to enter final status talks for a permanent peace between us and the Palestinians and I think the people of Israel all understand that. I think that when we have a chance to talk to our friends they'll, ah, I think they'll have to come to a decision whether they want this government or a government of the left to negotiate with the Palestinians. They know that we'll fight for every Israeli interest, we'll struggle for every inch of land - they cannot say that about the alternative and they know on which side I think at the end of the day they want to be.
SUPER CAPTION: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

Israel's Foreign Minister, Ariel Sharon, says the deal with the Palestinians was as good as could have been expected.

SOUNDBITE: (Hebrew)
I want to tell you that the price of 13 per cent was preset and it was not for negotiation. The price is heavy and there is a danger in such a degree of withdrawal. I said it then and I'm repeating and saying it today.
SUPER CAPTION: Ariel Sharon, Israeli Foreign Minister

While many West Bank settlers have expressed their anger with Netanyahu, Israel's leader says he believes his government will survive the criticism.

He also vowed again not to give the Palestinians any part of Jerusalem.

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