Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy on Monday declared his opposition to a Palestinian bid for UN membership, earning thanks from his visiting Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We do not believe that a unilateral solution can help peace, neither on the Palestinian side nor on the Israeli side. I believe peace can only be reached with a common initiative through negotiations,” Mr. Berlusconi told reporters.
Following talks with Mr. Netanyahu in Rome, the Italian leader also offered Erice, a town in Sicily, as a possible location for peace talks.
“I want to thank you for your clear position against the attempt to bypass peace negotiations. Peace will only come through negotiations,” Mr. Netanyahu said.
“A UN fiat that is one-sided would ... violate agreements between the Palestinians and Israel,” he said.
“Such a resolution if backed by an overwhelming majority could actually push peace back by hardening Palestinian positions,” Mr. Netanyahu said.
Source and full story: Al Arabiya 14 June 2011
