Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday cited the national consensus on the two-state solution for an Israeli-Palestinian accord as a major accomplishment for his government in its first 100 days.
"For the first time, we brought a national agreement for the concept of two states for two peoples," he said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting.
The prime minister explained that the agreement was that "the Palestinians will need to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, the refugee issue will be resolved outside of Israel's borders, and that Israel needs and will get defensible borders that include the full demilitarization of the Palestinian territory."
Netanyahu also noted that in its first 100 days, his government had brought calm to the South.
"While Operation Cast Lead gave a broad foundation for calm, the quiet was also achieved through our offensive approach," he said. "After Cast Lead, various Palestinian groups tested us, but deterrence was created when I gave the order to respond resolutely to every attack."
"Although I cannot say that we have had 100 days of grace - in fact we haven't even had one day of grace - thank god, we have no complaints," he continued. "The main accomplishment was in the formation of a national unity government."
Netanyahu stressed there was national unity both in the economic and diplomatic fields.
Also at the start of the meeting, Defense Minister Ehud Barak spoke of his upcoming trip to London where he is scheduled to hold talks with US Mideast envoy George Mitchell.
"I'm heading out to London today for a meeting that will take place tomorrow with US Mideast envoy George Mitchell and other officials, again, in a bid to advance a broader understanding between us and the US concerning the peace process," he said.
"That includes the regional comprehensive solution we greatly support, and also translating the Road Map - which Israel has accepted with reservations and understandings - to a way agreed upon by us, the US, and the other sides, in order to move the peace process forward and to create an opening for the Palestinians," said Barak.
Editors Note.....Israel's leaders today are showing the same unbelief that Israelis of old demonstrated at Kadesh Barnea when they refused to believe God and trust Him to give them the land God had promised.