Prime Minister designate Benjamin Netanyahu presented a confident view of the Israeli economy this morning, and spoke too about his economic plan for peace with the Palestinians. Speaking at the STEP Jerusalem Wealth Management Conference on regional investment, Netanyahu, who as finance minister was generally credited with turning around the Israeli economy in its last crisis, predicted that similar success could be achieved in dealing with the present crisis. "I think we can outperform the global economy, " he said.
Netanyahu welcomed the fact that the Labor party had voted to join his coalition, saying "we need a strong and stable national unity government."
Turning to the question of relations with the Palestinian Authority, Netanyahu said that security, prosperity, and peace were all intertwined, and declared, "The Palestinians should understand that they have in our government a partner for peace, prosperity, and rapid economic development."
The Prime Minister designate said that a strong Israeli-Palestinian economic relationship was a strong basis for peace, but added that the economic track was not a substitute for political negotiation. "I will negotiate with the Palestinian Authority for peace," he emphasized.
He added that after speaking with quartet special envoy Tony Blair, he felt that Israel could remove some bureaucratic obstacles to the Palestinians without compromising security. He commended the work by Lt. Gen. Keith W. Dayton of the US in training Palestinian Authority security forces, adding that those forces should "progress from policing to terror fighting".
Netanyahu concluded with some investment advice: "I urge you to invest in the Palestinian economy, and in the Palestinian-Israeli economic relationship."
The STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) conference, on investment in Israel and in the Palestinian Authority, was organized in conjunction with Fortress Capital Management and Anglo Capital Ltd., and was held in Jerusalem's David Citadel hotel.
Dylan Shub of Fortress Capital was the moving spirit behind the conference, slated to deal with issues faced by individual and institutional investors and wealth management professionals who want to invest in the Palestinian and Israeli economies.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 25, 2009
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