TEL AVIV, Israel, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Economy Minister Naftali Bennet said Thursday that he wishes to keep business cooperation with Palestinians, but is not in favor of giving lands to end their decades-old conflict, referring to the two-state solution, which is supported by the international community.
"I am a huge believer of peace starts with economy. We've been focusing so many years on political solution which does not seem like coming about. I think we should invest more for joint Israeli- Palestinians businesses," Bennett told Xinhua in an interview.
Bennet said he does not believe that handing lands to others can exchange peace for Israel.
"I think the current direction to solve the problem is a wrong one," he said.
"Israel is not the only one country living with ongoing conflict. It's not an easy neighborhood, but as long as we are strong in economy and security, we are going to be fine. But if we start to cut our country and hand it to different countries, we are not going to be here," Bennet said.
"At the end of the day, forget about politicians, there're two groups of people working together, living together. As the minister of economy, I think about the people and the economy. If we make our lives better, the rest will solve themselves," Bennet said.
Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians came to a halt in 2010 over Israel's continuing construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where Palestinians hope to build their own state.
Speaking of the recent efforts made by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in resuming the talks, Bennet said "I am fine with talking peace to anyone. The question is what is to be negotiated about."
Kerry has just finished his fifth visit to the region in hopes of reviving the talks, but no deal has been reached yet.
Whether to restart the negotiations with Palestinians has no consensus within the Israeli government yet, as some hawkish Israeli politicians openly oppose to it, and Bennet himself strongly rejects the establishment of a Palestinian State.
The Palestinians have demanded the release of their prisoners, a freeze of the construction in the Jewish settlements, and a statement saying that the talks will be based on that a future Palestinian state will be established on the lands annexed by Israel in the 1967 Mideast War, as the preconditions to resume the peace talks.
The Israeli government has discussed the first two issues, but maintains that the third one, which means that Israel has to return the lands it annexed, is unacceptable.
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