Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni Wednesday said that Palestinian refugees have no right to return to Israel due to the state's Jewish nature, local news service Ynet reported.
Speaking to visiting Jewish leaders across the world, Livni said her nation is pushing for a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which will lead to "a situation of two states for two peoples."
"We are not just talking about two independent democracies, but about two different nation-states...Israel is a Jewish state, and the other state will serve as a complete solution for all the Arabdemands, including the right of return. There will be no return into Israel."
Referring to Iran and Hamas' denial of Israeli existent right, the Israeli premiership contender said that the international community is willing to defend Israel's right to exist, and the world also needs "to accept the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state."
"We must not forget Israel's ultimate goal to be a Jewish, democratic state living in complete security," she said, adding that "Israel is not a monopoly of rabbis. Israel is a Jewish state, but a Jewish state is not a religious state but mainly a nation-state."
As the leading Israeli representatives in negotiations with the Palestinians, she also said that the international community should refrain from pressuring the two Middle East neighbors in their bilateral peace process.
"We will clarify that we are making peace not because we're being told to, but because it's in our interest. We must continue the process in a bilateral move," she said.
Source:Xinhua
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