Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu speaking in Davos. Photo: Screenshot.

JNS.org – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday for his refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. Netanyahu’s statements came after Abbas told The New York Times that Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state was “out of the question.”

At a Likud-Beiteinu faction meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu said, “[Abbas] knows that there will not be an agreement without recognition of the nation state of the Jewish people,” Israel Hayom reported.

Netanyahu said it would be “absurd” to expect Israel to recognize a nation state for the Palestinian people without reciprocal recognition of Israel as the nation state for the Jewish people.

“Let’s see if the same international actors who until now have put pressure on Israel will make clear to the Palestinian Authority what exactly will be the consequences for the Palestinians if there is no agreement,” Netanyahu said. “Because, unless the Palestinians understand that they will pay a price if the talks fail, they will prefer to not continue the talks.”