Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on an official visit in the Netherlands, said that the Dutch government would assist Israel in improving water and gas supplies to the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu said while the Jewish state is in conflict with terrorists in the Palestinian enclave, Israel still wishes to improve the quality of life of the people who live in the Gaza Strip. Speaking after a meeting with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte in The Hague, Netanyahu also announced he was ready to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas “at any time”, as long as there were no preconditions.
Netanyahu noted that he informed Russian President Vladimir Putin, who seeks to re-start the long stalled negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians in Moscow, that he has called on the Palestinian leader to meet without pre-conditions for years, and if he agrees to do so, a meeting would be scheduled.
“I am ready to meet Abu Mazen (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas) any time, without preconditions, for direct talks. This is something I’ve said hundreds of times. I am repeating it here. I am not choosy about the location – Holland, Moscow, anywhere else, no problem, it can definitely be in Moscow. I said that to President Putin and to the envoy, Bugdanov, only yesterday. The question is, of course, whether Abu Mazen is prepared to meet without preconditions. We have heard conflicting versions about this. Only yesterday, Palestinian spokesmen conveyed that they are ready to meet, but there are conditions – releasing prisoners, they want to know what the results of the talks will be. If Abu Mazen is ready to meet, without preconditions, for direct talks, I am ready at any time. I’ve been calling on him to do so for nearly seven years. If he agrees to do this, there will be a meeting,” said Netanyahu.
Earlier in the day, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said, during an official visit to Poland, that a proposed meeting in Moscow with Prime Minister Netanyahu would not be held for now, accusing the Israeli leader of postponing the Russian-initiated meeting.
“And with regards to the peace process, the path is blocked due to the Israeli governments’ abstinence in spite of the valuable and appreciated efforts of the United States and the political and economic support from the European Union, especially with regards to the support of our efforts to rebuild our country’s institutions and infrastructure.” / “Prime Minister Netanyahu suggested the postponement of this meeting – I don’t know for how long. However, I am prepared to attend tomorrow or at a time agreed upon because this dialogue between us and the Israelis is of great importance to me, whether it be in Moscow or any other place because dialogue is the only way to reach peace for the Palestinian nation and Israel, that they live side by side in security and stability,” responded Abbas.