Netanyahu: No peace without negotiations

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday criticized the Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations, and reiterated his call for direct negotiations between the two parties. Speaking on NBC's Meet The Press on Sunday, Netanyahu said the Palestinians wanted a state, but were not willing to offer Israel peace and security. "The Palestinians want a state but they have to give peace in return. What they're trying to do in the United Nations is to get a state without giving Israel peace or giving Israel peace and security. And I think that's wrong. That should not succeed. That should fail," Netanyahu said. "But what should succeed is for them to actually sit down and negotiate with us to get two states for two peoples -- a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes the Jewish state. That's what should succeed." Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas asked the United Nations General Assembly on Friday to recognize a state for his people, a move Netanyahu dismissed as a "detour" around peace negotiations. "I think the Palestinians are trying to get away without negotiating. They're trying to get a state to continue the conflict with Israel rather than to end it. They're trying to basically detour around peace negotiations by going to the UN and have the automatic majority in the UN general assembly give them a state," Netanyahu said. In their speeches at the United Nations, Abbas and Netanyahu both said they extended their hands to the other party, but each blamed their opponents for the failure of past peace efforts. Netanyahu said he offered to meet Abbas on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly where he urged him to approach peace talks without preconditions. "In the UN I said to President Abbas, 'Look, we're in the same city. We're in the same building, for God's sake, the UN. Let's just sit down and begin to talk peace.' Why are we talking about talking? Why negotiating about negotiating? It's very simple. If you want to get to peace put all your preconditions on the side. Sit down opposite a table," Netanyahu said. Netanyahu's comments follow Abbas's statement earlier on Sunday in the West Bank city of Ramallah, where he reiterated his refusal to talk with Israel without a settlement freeze after international mediators, responding to his United Nations bid for statehood, urged negotiations within a month. Israel has occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem since 1967, in violation of international law. Some 500,000 Jewish settlers live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. There are about 2.5 million Palestinians in the same territory. All settlements are considered illegal under international law.