Prime Minister Netanayhu at his government's weekly cabinet meeting. Photo: Screenshot.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that any peace deal between Israel and the Palestinian Authority will be put to a public referendum.

“I believe that this is necessary. I do not think that such decisions can be made, if indeed an agreement is achieved, by this or that coalition process; it must be put to the people for a decision,” the Prime Minister said, speaking at his weekly Cabinet meeting.

Netanyahu also said that he has set two goals for the process itself: “one is preventing the creation of a bi-national state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, alongside preventing the establishment of another Iranian-sponsored terrorist state.”

He added: “We will need to find a balance between these two things, and our negotiating partners will also need to make concessions that will allow us to maintain our security and uphold our vital national interests.”

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced Friday that the Israelis and Palestinian Authority had agreed to resume direct negotiations in Washington in the next week or so.

Netanyahu warned Sunday “these will not be easy negotiations”  adding that he hopes they will remain discreet at first, as this will “increase the chances that we will achieve results.”