ISRAELI MINISTER WARNS ITS STATE OF FADING INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT

 

Lapid told a gathering of representatives of major American Jewish organisations in Jerusalem that “Israel cannot accept the return of four million Palestinians into its territories. If we plan to live in a Jewish state, we need to separate from them.”

 

Lapid; who chairs the Yesh Atid party, pointed out that to reach a settlement with the Palestinians, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has to decide whether he will partake in peace negotiations only for talking or to reach an agreement that ends the conflict.

 

He warned that the increasing boycott campaign against Israel will have devastating results on the economy and people’s welfare.

 

With reference to Iran, Lapid said the international community ignores warnings of the Iranian nuclear programme which indicates that the world and the United States are not only losing their support for Israel, but also their patience.

 

“Israel’s relationship with the United States is very important,” he concluded.

 

Germany’s largest bank, Deutsche Bank (DB), has included the Israeli Hapoalim bank in a blacklist of “unethical companies” reportedly because of its involvement in funding settlement activities in the West Bank.

Deutsche Bank said Hapoalim does not abide by ethical standards, and that the bank’s work in settlements is no different from selling explosives or other acts that violate human rights.

Based on the same classification, DB blacklisted 16 international companies which it pledged not to deal with or invest in. The list includes 13 companies involved in arms and explosives businesses. It also includes a mining company and the Japanese Nissan automobile company.(T/P08/P04)