Beirut blasts Netanyahu speech

BEIRUT, Lebanon, June 17 (UPI) -- Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu hijacked the peace process in his policy speech, threatening the Middle East region, a top Lebanese lawmaker said.

In a major policy speech Sunday, Netanyahu for the first time endorsed the establishment of a Palestinian state. He demanded a future Palestinian state be a demilitarized one that recognizes Israel as a Jewish state, but shunned Western calls for a halt to settlement activity.

Saad Hariri, the leader of the Western-backed March 14 coalition and son of slain former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, said the Israeli premier's speech would send the region into chaos, the Lebanese Daily Star reports.

"Netanyahu's speech places the region once again in the whirlpool of escalation and outlines an Israeli road map for toppling settlement efforts and peace initiatives," said the leader.

Lebanese Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri and President Michel Suleiman joined with Hariri, saying the Netanyahu speech was dangerous.

"Lebanon has always warned against Israeli rigidity and has repeatedly cautioned against the negative effect this could have on the efforts of the international community in arriving at a just settlement for the region's crisis," the president said.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, whose March 8 slate suffered a defeat in Lebanese parliamentary elections, said the speech ended hopes for a settlement on the issue.

"It put an end to the wishes of all those who were betting on the possibility to reach a compromise in the region," he said.