- Title: Palestinian PM says no difference between Netanyahu and Gantz
- Date: 17th September 2019
- Summary: NEAR BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK (SEPTEMBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER MOHAMMAD SHTAYYEH COMING OUT OF CAR SHTAYYEH SHAKING HANDS WITH PEOPLE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER MOHAMMAD SHTAYYEH, SAYING: "I know that today there are elections in Israel and we know that the competition between Benny (Benny Gantz) and Bibi (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) but there is no major difference between them. It is like the difference between Pepsi cola and Coca Cola because no one has an agenda to end the occupation. We want a prime minister in Israel who wants to end the occupation and to be a partner in the peace process and to end the suffering of the Palestinians." SHTAYYEH SITTING WITH PALESTINIAN OFFICIALS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER MOHAMMAD SHTAYYEH, SAYING: "The results of the Israeli elections affects many aspects of our daily lives. Netanyahu has announced that he will annex the Jordan Valley. Yesterday we convened our government cabinet meeting in Fasayil village to ensure our lands belong to Arabs and that the settlements are illegal." SHTAYYEH SITTING WITH PALESTINIAN OFFICIALS
- Embargoed: 1st October 2019 11:24
- Keywords: Palestinians Israel elections Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh
- Location: NEAR BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK
- City: NEAR BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001AX1PPVR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Tuesday (September 17) neither Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main challenger former armed forces chief Benny Gantz want to end the occupation.
During a meeting with Palestinian officials at an International Conference of Entrepeneurship near the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Shtayyeh compared Netanyahu and Gantz to Pepsi Cola and Coca Cola with regard to policies towards Palestinians.
The two main parties' campaigns in Israel's second parliamentary election in five months pointed to only narrow differences on many important issues: the regional struggle against Iran, ties with the Palestinians and the United States, and the economy.
An end to the Netanyahu era would be unlikely to lead to a big change in policy on hotly disputed issues in the peace process with the Palestinians that collapsed five years ago.
Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. (0400 GMT) and will close at 10 p.m. when Israeli media will publish exit polls giving a first indication of the outcome.
Israel imposed a closure over the West Bank and Gaza during election day.
(Production:Mamoun Wazwaz, Yosri AlJamal, Mustafa Abu Ganeyeh) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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