Defense minister tells Asharq al-Awsat newspaper Jerusalem is a ‘spacious city full of sites sacred for all,’ but stresses Israel will not return to its pre-1967 borders; calls on Palestinians to return to negotiating table
Benny Gantz believes Jerusalem is “spacious” enough for a Palestinian capital whilst still remaining united, according to an interview in a Saudi newspaper published Thursday.
Gantz who serves as defense minister and alternate prime minister told the Arabic language newspaper Asharq al-Awsat that Jerusalem is a “spacious city that is full of sites which are sacred for all”.
The centrist leader also said that Israel will not return to its pre-1967 borders, which means withdrawing from all territories captured from Jordan during the Six-Day War that the Palestinians seek for a future state, but the sides can reach a compromise.
The former IDF chief also revealed that he had already visited a majority of Arab states with clandestine visits as part of his military service and said he would love to go on an official tour.
He warned against what he called the “Iranian axis” in the region, saying it posed a threat to both Israel and Arab states, pointing to countries like Syria and Lebanon as examples of its corrupt influence.