Mohammad Baraka, an Arab member of the Israeli Knesset, has described Prime Minister Netanyahu's demand for the "recognition of Israel as a Jewish state" as tragic and crude and reflects the absurdity of negotiations that are devoid of any reference of legitimacy at all.
 
In an exclusive statement to "Quds Press" commenting on the near start of the Israeli-Palestinian direct negotiations, Baraka said that the problem does not lie in the negotiations, as the Palestinian leadership have embarked on them for a long time, but the question is on what basis is this particular negotiation being founded and on what points of reference?

Baraka added that the negotiations which are being initiated and conducted under international pressure, specifically American pressure, as well as the unfortunate and shameful decision of the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, which includes 13 Arab countries, has no foundation, and are therefore futile amounting to no more than playing in Obama and Netanyahu's playground.

He explained that at the time when the Palestinian leadership have agreed to negotiate without reference, Netanyahu came out with impossible conditions before the start, one of which is the condition of recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, which reflects the tragic and absurd nature of the negotiations.

Baraka commented that the "farce produced by Israel was completed in full when they asked the Palestinians to acknowledge Israel as a Jewish state and Syria as an enemy". "This is contrary to the laws of nature as Syria is an Arab country and part of our national and human civilization, and Israel is a State which is exercising occupation, displacement, blockades, and racism" added Baraka.

Source: Quds Press