Israel PM rejects Obama's '1967 border' solution to Palestine-Israel conflict

Jerusalem, May 20(ANI): Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected U.S. President Barack Obama's recommendation that a future Palestine state be based on 1967 borders.

Netanyahu said the borders, which existed before the 1967 Middle East War, were "indefensible".

The Palestine state based on 1967 borders would leave an estimated 300,000 Israelis in the West Bank.

On the US policy in Middle East, Obama had said in a Thursday speech that the basis of peace negotiations was to create a "viable Palestine" and "secure Israel".

"The United States believes that negotiations should result in two states, with permanent Palestinian borders with Israel, Jordan, and Egypt, and permanent Israeli borders with Palestine," The borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states"; The BBC news quoted Obama, as saying.

Netanyahu lauded Obama's efforts to ensure peace settlement but said that the viability of a Palestinian state could not be at the expense of only Jewish state of Israel.

Netanyahu is scheduled to address a joint session of Congress in Washington next week. (ANI)