19 Jun 2009
18 Jun 2009
Hivi karibuni watunga sheria (wabunge) wetu watatu "waliungana" kuandika kitabu walichokipa jina "BUNGE LENYE MENO".Ukiangalia sehemu ndogo tu ya wasifu wa wabunge hao utamaizi kuwa "muungano huo wa uandishi" ulikuwa ni mithili ya "ndoa za makaratasi" (marriages of inconvenience).
Dkt Wilbroad Slaa,Spika Samuel Sitta na John Momose Cheyo!Nadhani kitu pekee kinachoweza kuwafanya wafanane ni "wote ni wabunge",and the similarity stops there.Wakati Dkt Slaa amejijengea jina kubwa kama kinara wa mapambano ya ufisadi,ni vigumu kum-define Spika Sitta linapokuja suala la mapambano dhidi ya ufisadi.Lakini si vigumu kukumbuka kuwa ni Sitta huyuhuyu aliyempa kadi nyekundu Zitto Kabwe alipombana ex-waziri Nazir Karamagi kuhusu sakata la Buzwagi.Na ni Sitta huyuhuyu aliyetishia kumshtaki Dkt Slaa alipoibua tuhuma ufisadi ndani ya Benki Kuu akidai kuwa ni ushahidi wa kufoji!Eti leo tunaambiwa Spika huyuhuyu nae ni kinara wa mapambano ya ufisadi!
Tukija kwa John Cheyo,nadhani amebaki kuwa UDP,kwa maana ya one-man party.Sera yake ya mapesa ilijaa utani ambao ungekuwa na maana zaidi kwenye sanaa za maigizo kuliko katika siasa makini.Amebaki kuwa jina tu.Sidhani kama kunamfano wowote hai unaoweza kutumika kumtambulisha Cheyo kama mwanaharakati wa mapambano dhidi ya ufisadi.
Sasa hao ndio waandishi wa kitabu BUNGE LENYE MENO.Lakini kwa vile nafahamu kwamba uchambuzi makini unahitaji kwenda mbali zaidi ya kuangalia personalities,naomba kugeukia hoja yangu ya kupingana na ya akina Sitta kuwa bunge la sasa lina meno.Binafsi nasema kama ni meno basi ni ya plastiki.Nadhani unafahamu mtoto mchanga anapoanza kuota meno huwa yanaota meno ambayo yanaitwa meno kwa vile tu yamekaa sehemu yalipo meno.Ukimnywesha uji wa moto basi kilio chake hapo ni balaa!Ni meno machanga yasiyomudu kutafuna vitu vigumu.
Na ndio bunge letu lilivyo.Utasikia kelele,vitisho,na vitu kama hivyo kila waheshimiwa wanapokutana hapo Dodoma ambapo mwisho wa siku akaunti zao zinaingiza kipato cha zaidi ya mwezi mzima kwa Mtanzania wa kawaida,huku kila mwisho wa mwezi wakiondoka na mamilioni lukuki.Basi angalau kipato chao kingeendana na hali halisi ya uchumi wa nchi yetu.
Wabunge wa CCM,ambao wanatengeneza zaidi ya robo tatu ya bunge letu,ndio vichekesho zaidi.Utamsikia huyu akisema hili kabla ya mwenzie kumkalia kooni akitaka mwongozo wa Spika kwa madai ya "kukiuka kanuni za bunge".Lakini ukifuatilia kwa makini,mara nyingi mwongozo huo huombwa pale anapojitokeza mbunge mmoja kuelezea yale yanayozungumzwa na Watanzania wengi mitaani,kwa mfano ishu ya ufisadi.Sasa kwa vile kuna wabunge wenye deni kubwa zaidi kwa CCM na vigogo wake,njia pekee ya kulipa deni hilo ni kuomba mwongozo wa Spika ili kuwaziba midomo wale wanaoongea yasiyopendeza masikioni mwa watawala.
Majuzi,Mbunge wa Nzega Lukas Selelii amemwomba Mungu awalaani mawaziri kwa madai kwamba wamekuwa sehemu muhimu ya maendeleo ya ufisadi nchini.Mbunge wa Pangani Mohammed Rished akaomba mwongozo....sijui kuonyesha anafahamu zaidi sheria za Bunge au kwa vile yaliyoongelewa na Selelii hayakumpendeza mbunge Rished.Kwani si kweli kwamba maamuzi mengi yaliyopelekea skandali za ufisadi yalipitishwa na Baraza la Mawaziri?Kabineti ingetimiza wajibu wake tungekuwa na Richmond?au Kiwira?Au TICTS?au Buzwagi?Au IPTL?Orodha ni ndefu.Sasa Rished alihitaji mwongozo kwa vile Selelii kumuomba Mungu awalaani watu waliofanya maamuzi yaliyopelekea ufisadi ni kosa la jinai au?Halafu tunaambiwa tuna "bunge lenye meno"!In this case,haya wala si meno ya plastiki bali ni mapengo kabisa.
Fuatilia kwa karibu mjadala wa Bajeti unavyoendelea huko Dodoma.Kuna kauli za uchungu kutoka kwa baadhi ya wabunge kama Selelii,Mwambalaswa,Mpendazoe na,kama kawaida,wabunge wa upinzani kama vile Dkt Slaa.Lakini kauli pekee hazimsaidii Mtanzania masikini asiyejua hatma ya maisha yake.Kelele hizi zimekuwepo tangu bunge hili linaanza.Ndio,zimesaidia kuundwa kwa kamati mbalimbali kama ile ya Mwakyembe.Lakini kuunda kamati kisha kutofanyia kazi mapendekezo yake ni sawa na ufisadi tu.Ikumbukwe kuwa kamati hizo hutumia mamilioni ya fedha za walipa kodi.Ukubwa wa gaharama za kuendesha kamati za aina hiyo ungeweza kupunguziwa maumivu laiti mapendekezo yanayotolewa yangekuwa yanafanyiwa kazi.Hadi leo wahusika wa Richmond (achana na yule decoy mwenye kesi mahakamani) wanaendelea "kupeta".
Laiti Bunge lingekuwa na meno,isingetosha kwa Lowassa,Msabaha na Karamagi kujiuzulu tu.Walipaswa wakabidhiwe kwa vyombo vya dola.Kadhalika,watendaji wa serikali waliotajwa kuhusika walipaswa kuwajibishwa mara moja.Badala yake,hadithi zimeendelea kila kinapojiri kikao kingine cha bunge,huko waandishi wetu mahiri wa kunukuu wakija na vichwa vya habari kama "Moto kuwaka Bungeni","Ishu ya EPA kuibuliwa tena Bungeni"...Huwezi kuwalaumu sana kwa vile vyombo vya habari vinaendeshwa kibiashara na kichwa cha habari chenye mvuto kinauza gazeti!
Bunge lenye meno lisingekuwa linapigwa danadana na Waziri Ngeleja kuhusu ishu ya Kiwira.Bunge lenye meno lisingekubali mkataba wa TICTS uendelee kuwa hoja ya moto kila kikao lakini inayoishia kuwa ya moto pasipo mabadiliko,only for it kuwa ya moto tena kwenye kikao kingine.Yayumkinika kusema kuwa kama ni moto wa hoja,basi ni wa njiti ya kiberiti kwenye upepo mkali;hudumu kwa sekunde tu.
Sintajadili zaidi kwa vile itakuwa sawa na kupre-empty muswada wa chapisho naloandaa kama mapitio (majibu?) ya kitabu hicho cha wabunge hao.Ila kwa kifupi,si rahisi kuwa na bunge lenye meno wakati wabunge wenyewe wanaishi maisha tofauti na hao wanaopaswa kuwawakilisha bungeni (nikimaanisha maslahi yao).Tusidanganyane,mtu anayelipwa milioni 6 na ushee kwa mwezi hawezi hata chembe kuwa mwakilishi mzuri wa mtu asiye na uhakika wa kukamata angalau shs 10,000 kwa mwezi.Haya ni matabaka mawili tofauti,na japo kinadharia wabunge wanapaswa kuwa sehemu ya tabaka tawaliwa kwa maana ya uwakilishi wa wananchi,maslahi yao makubwa yanawaingiza kwenye tabaka tawala na hivyo kuwaweka kwenye mgongano wa moja kwa moja direct confrontation) na tabaka tawaliwa la wananchi wa kawaida.Katika hali hiyo,serikali kwa maana ya the executive branch of the government,inapata free pass kwani wanaopaswa kuihoji nao wanajikuta wakihojiwa na wanaowawakilisha.Kiuhalisia,mpiga kura is hardly represented bungeni.
Lakini tukiweka kando suala la kipato na matabaka,tatizo la msingi zaidi kwenye bunge hili ni kutanguliza mbele maslahi ya chama badala ya maslahi ya nchi.Umoja na mshikamano ndani ya CCM unatafsiriwa kuwa ni muhimu zaidi kuliko umoja na mshikamano wa kitaifa.Wengi wa wabunge wa CCM wanahofia kuzungumzia baadhi ya masuala yanayolihusu taifa ambayo kwa namna moja au nyingine yanaifanya CCM inyooshewe kidole.Hakuna mbunge wa CCM anayeweza kuzuia bajeti ya wizara flani,hata kama ni mbovu namna gani,kwa vile akifanya hivyo atatafsiriwa kuwa anavunja mshikamano wa chama.Mbunge katika bunge lenye meno hawezi kuogopa tafsiri ya chama chake,bali wapigakura wake.
Kwa anayehitaji nakala ya bure ya kitabu hicho cha BUNGE LENYE MENO (as an ebook),tuwasiliane.
Kwa anayehitaji nakala ya bure ya kitabu hicho cha BUNGE LENYE MENO (as an ebook),tuwasiliane.
17 Jun 2009
17.6.09
Evarist Chahali
CCM, CHENGE, UFISADI
No comments
Ni dua pekee linaloweza kubadili viumbe wa aina hii.Sijui ni kujikomba,sijui uhaba wa tafakari au...!!!Soma kwanza stori hii kisha utafakari
Chenge asimikwa utemi
na Sitta Tumma, Magu
MBUNGE wa Bariadi Magharibi, Andrew Chenge, ambaye amekuwa akiandamwa na kashfa mbalimbali, ametawazwa kuwa mtemi wa kabila la Wasukuma-Bagole, Kanda ya Itilima, wilayani Bariadi.
Chenge alichaguliwa katika sherehe maarufu za kabila hilo, maarufu kama Bolabo, mwishoni mwa wiki, wilayani hapa, ambazo mbali naviongozi wa kimila, Mkuu wa Mkoa, Abbas Kandoro, alikuwa ni miongoni mwa waliohudhuria.
Baadhi ya watu waliokuwepo kwenye sherehe hizo, waliuelezea utemi wa Chenge kwa mtazamo tofauti, huku baadhi wakidai kaupata ili kuweka mambo yake sawa, na wengine wakidai anastahili kupata nafasi hiyo kwa kuwa ni miongoni mwa watu wa kabila hilo.
Mbunge huyo ambaye alilazimika kujiuzulu nafasi yake ya uwaziri alisema, utemi huo ni karama aliyopewa na Mungu na kwamba wajibu huo ni sawa na daraja la kuunganisha jamii ya kabila husika.
"Utemi niliopewa naweza kusema ni karama iliyotoka kwa Mwenyezi Mungu! Kazi hii ya utemi ni nzito kwa sababu ina masuala yake yanayohusiana na mambo ya kimila pamoja na kuunganisha jamii ya kabila husika," alisema Chenge.
CHANZO: Tanzania Daima
Ndio maana wakati mwingine hawa "wazungu" wanapata wakati mgumu kutuelewa.Hivi inaingia akilini kweli kwa mtuhumiwa wa ufisadi wa zaidi ya shilingi bilioni moja,Mzee wa Vijisenti Andrew Chenge,kutunikiwa utemi?Watoto wanaozaliwa leo na kesho na kukuta mtemi wao ni miongoni mwa watu waliochuma utajiri kwa njia za miujiza kabisa (fedha alizonazo haziwezi kuwa zimepatikana kwa njia halali,piga ua) watawaelewa kweli wazazi wao?
Mtemi wa nini?Au wanamaanisha utemi wa kuifanya sheria imwogope?Maana kesi yake ya kuua ni vituko vitupu.Mara iundiwe tume,mara iahirishwe kwa hili na lile!Mtu kasababisha ajali huku gari ikiwa na bima iliyoisha muda wake,mnamuundia tume ya nini?Na kwanini hiyo tume iwe kimya kama haikuundwa vile?
Mtuhumiwa huyu wa ufisadi ameendelea pia kuwa kwenye kamati ya maadili ya CCM.Halafu ukisema CCM chama cha kifisadi kuna waungwana wananuna!
Kaaazi kwelikweli
16 Jun 2009
- 16.6.09
- Evarist Chahali
- ALI G, BORAT, BRUNO, COMEDY, SACHA BARON COHEN
- No comments
Posing for GQ,Sacha as BRUNO
In Paris at the premiere of his latest movie BRUNO 
Red carpet queer style 
Cohen's (real-life) other half ISLA FISHER.With Cohen,it seems necessary to state clearly if something about him is real or sheer comedy. 
Please copy the sample letter and write to your representatives in the government, asking them not to recognize the presidency of Mr. Ahmadinejad. Please also ask others to do the same.
Dear Sir or Madam:
On June 12, 2009, the Iranian people went to the polls in record numbers to choose the next president of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Only four candidates were allowed to compete: the incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Mir Hussein Mousavi, MehdiKaroubi, and Mohsen Rezaie. The Iranian reform movement was united behind Mr. Mousavi’s
candidacy.
Based on numerous polls carried out a few days before the elections, Mousavi had a commanding lead over Ahmadinejad. Unfortunately, in total disregard for the people’s choice, the interior ministry haphazardly declared Mr. Ahmadinejad the winner, giving him 63.62% of the votes. The absurdity of the government’s election engineering is that none of the candidates managed to get more than a fraction of the votes even in their hometowns! In his birthplace, the village of Lali, Rezaie received fewer than 70 votes of the total of 900 votes cast, while 830 votes went to Ahmadinejad. Likewise, Karoubi did not do much better in his birthplace Aligoudarz, garnering only 14,512 votes, while Ahmadinejad received 39,690 votes. Finally, Mousavi, in his birthplace, Shabstar, was given only 2,000 of the total of 7,000 votes cast, while the rest went to Ahmadinejad.
How could all these candidates get defeated in their own hometowns, while we know that in the past presidential elections, all the candidates got the majority of the votes in their hometowns? Evidently, those who manufactured these figures got their lesson from Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels that the bigger the lie, the more believable it is. They must have thought that if Ahmadinejad is declared the winner even in his rivals’ hometowns, the Iranian people would believe his victory everywhere.
The unofficial results from the interior ministry tell quite a different story. Accordingly, Mr. Mousavi was the absolute winner with 54% of the votes, followed by Karoubi and Ahmadinejad with 31% and 13% of the votes,respectively.
Given that days before the election the Revolutionary Guards made a scarcely veiled threat to the followers of the reform movement that they will stifle swiftly any attempt at a “velvet revolution,” that a day before the elections the SMS network of mobile users were disconnected in the country, and that the websites belonging to the reformist candidates were filtered—all were indicative of the fact that the regime had staged a political coup. If Ahmadinejad was so popular, why should the Revolutionary Guards be so concerned about an impending velvet revolution? Why should they be compelled to disconnect the SMS network of mobile users?
The Iranian people do not accept the shenanigans engineered by the regime. They are demanding an investigation. They demand an honest and objective counting of the votes. Without their demands being met, the result has no validity.
Please do not recognize the official results of the elections. Please do not recognize the presidency of Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Democracy in Iran means peace in the Middle East. I appreciate your support.
Below are links to more information and report on Iran’s elections.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/15/opinion/15iht-edcohen.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
http://garysick.tumblr.com/
www.truthout.org/061409Z?print
Miongoni mwa nukuu muhimu kuhusisna na Mwenyekiti Mao wa China ni hii: usiseme kitu kama hujakitafiti (tafsiri yangu isiyo rasmi kwenye usemi no research,no right to speak).Sasa sijui tumweleweje huyu Sekulu MUSTAFA MKULO anapodai kwamba kuna baadhi ya taasisi za dini zimekuwa zikitumia vibaya misamaha ya kodi,lakini hakuweza kutaja angalau jina la taasisi moja.Hizi ni dalili za ubabaishaji na uoga.Uoga huo wa kutaja hadharani watumishi wa Mungu wanaotuhumiwa kuvunja sheria unasababishwa na mtoa tuhuma kutokuwa mkamilifu.Ni mithili ya mama anayechelea kutaja madhambi ya bintie kwa kuwa naye yumo katika mchezo huohuo.
Kama kuna wachunga kondoo wa Bwana walikuwa wakitumia misamaha ya kodi vibaya lakini hawakuchukuliwa hatua,inamaanisha chombo kinachoitwa Mamlaka ya Mapato kiko kwenye usingizi wa pono.Kwanini wahusika hawakuchukuliwa hatua?Au kulikuwa na utatu usio mtakatifu wa vigogo serikalini,wafadhili ughaubuni na watumishi wa Mungu?
Hata kama tukiafikiana na maelezo za Mheshimiwa Mkulo kuhusu hako kamchezo kasikopendeza ,ni dhahiri kwamba vitendo vya watenda dhambi hao wachache havimaanishi kuwa dhehebu lote analotoka mtenda dhambi nalo lina makosa.Kuwepo kwa viongozi kadhaa wa dini ambao wamekuwa wakitumia vibaya misamaha ya kodi hakumaanishi kwamba mantiki nzima ya mpango huo imepoteza maana.
Na lini utaratibu huu wa "akikosea mmoja basi wamekosea wote" ulianza?Mbona hapo Benki Kuu palipozaliwa ufisadi wa EPA na nduguye wa Maghorofa Pacha bado wahusika wameendelea "kupeta"?Kama Ballali ndio kinara cha wizi huo,kwanini basi wasaidizi wake (ikiwa ni pamoja na huyu gavana wa sasa) wameachwa kuendelea na kazi?Je Liyumba anapotuhumiwa kufanya ubadhirifu wa fedha za Maghorofa Pacha,kwanini basi menejimenti yote ya Benki Kuu nayo isipandishwe kizimbani kwa vile,kwamujibu wa Mkulo,akikosea mmoja basi wamekosea wote!Mbona Mattaka kalikoroga ATCL kapelekwa NIC,Peter Noni anahusishwa na EPA kapewa ulaji TIB,Mzee wa Vijisenti na mabilioni yake visiwani Jersey bado yuko kwenye kamati ya maadili ya chama tawala!
Kwa madhambi haya,dnio maana hutosikia yeyote akidiriki kutaja jina la kiongozi wa dini anayetuhumiwa kufuja misamaha ya kodi (kama yupo).Mtu asiye msafi hawezi kuonyesha uchafu wa mwenzie.
Lakini binafsi natafsiri kuwa hatua hii ina ajenda mbalimbali zilizofichika ikiwa ni pamoja na kuonyeshana nani mwenye nguvu zaidi: mamlaka za kidunia au za kiroho.Usisahau kauli za hivi karibuni kutoka kwa madhehebu mbalimbali ya Kikristo kwamba mafisadi wameteka nchi....na kuandaa mkakati wa kupata viongozi bora katika uchaguzi mkuu wa 2010.
Wizara ya Fedha na Uchumi imesema, siasa za Tanzania ni nzuri na kuna mipango mizuri ya maendeleo ndiyo maana umasikini wa kipato unapungua. Hata hivyo Naibu Waziri wa Wizara hiyo, Omar Yussuf Mzee amesema, bungeni mjini Dodoma kuwa, kuna watanzania wengi wanaishi kwa kula mlo mmoja. Kiongozi huyo wa Serikali amesema leo kuwa, umasikini ni mchakato, unapungua siku hadi siku.
Mzee ameyasema hayo wakati anajibu maswali ya Mbunge wa Viti Maalum, Magdalena Sakaya aliyetaka kufahamu ni kwa nini watanzani wengi bado ni masikini wakati nchi imepata uhuru miaka 48 iliyopita.
Mbunge huyo pia alidai bungeni kuwa, watanzania wengi bado ni masikini kabisa kwa kuwa hakuna siasa safi, na pia hakuna mipango mizuri ya kuwawezesha wananchi wapate maendeleo.
Naibu Waziri Mzee amewaeleza wabunge kuwa kuna umasikini wa aina tatu ukiwamo wa elimu, afya na kipato.Amesema, kama Tanzania isingekuwa na siasa safi na mipango mizuri ya maendeleo, takwimu zisingeonyesha kupungua kwa umasikini wa kipato nchini.
Amewaeleza wabunge kuwa, mwaka 1991, asilimia 21.6 ya watanzania wote milioni 24.8 walikuwa masikini kabisa. Kwa mujibu wa kiongozi huyo, mwaka 2001, Tanzania ilikuwa na watu milioni 31.9, asilimia 18.7 kati yao walikuwa masikini kabisa, na mwaka 2007, asilimia 16.5 ya watanzania milioni 38.3 walikuwa masikini kabisa.
Mzee amelieza Bunge kuwa, watanzania wengi bado ni masikini kwa kwa wengi wao ni wakulima wanaotumia jembe la mkono, bei za pembejeo za kilimo zimepanda, na pia mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa yanathiri uzalishaji kwa kuwa sehemu kubwa ya kilimo nchini hutegemea mvua. Ametaja sababu nyingine kuwa ni ukuaji mdogo wa sekta ya viwanda, wakulima kukosa mitaji, na pia ukosefu wa ajira.
Mzee ameyasema hayo wakati anajibu maswali ya Mbunge wa Viti Maalum, Magdalena Sakaya aliyetaka kufahamu ni kwa nini watanzani wengi bado ni masikini wakati nchi imepata uhuru miaka 48 iliyopita.
Mbunge huyo pia alidai bungeni kuwa, watanzania wengi bado ni masikini kabisa kwa kuwa hakuna siasa safi, na pia hakuna mipango mizuri ya kuwawezesha wananchi wapate maendeleo.
Naibu Waziri Mzee amewaeleza wabunge kuwa kuna umasikini wa aina tatu ukiwamo wa elimu, afya na kipato.Amesema, kama Tanzania isingekuwa na siasa safi na mipango mizuri ya maendeleo, takwimu zisingeonyesha kupungua kwa umasikini wa kipato nchini.
Amewaeleza wabunge kuwa, mwaka 1991, asilimia 21.6 ya watanzania wote milioni 24.8 walikuwa masikini kabisa. Kwa mujibu wa kiongozi huyo, mwaka 2001, Tanzania ilikuwa na watu milioni 31.9, asilimia 18.7 kati yao walikuwa masikini kabisa, na mwaka 2007, asilimia 16.5 ya watanzania milioni 38.3 walikuwa masikini kabisa.
Mzee amelieza Bunge kuwa, watanzania wengi bado ni masikini kwa kwa wengi wao ni wakulima wanaotumia jembe la mkono, bei za pembejeo za kilimo zimepanda, na pia mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa yanathiri uzalishaji kwa kuwa sehemu kubwa ya kilimo nchini hutegemea mvua. Ametaja sababu nyingine kuwa ni ukuaji mdogo wa sekta ya viwanda, wakulima kukosa mitaji, na pia ukosefu wa ajira.
Professor Duncan Rice, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen, has been honoured with a Knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Professor Rice has been awarded the honour for services to higher education.
Professor Rice said: "On a personal level this is a wonderful honour, and I'm very proud of it. But I know it's intended to recognise all the University has achieved in the last decade. I am just the vehicle, and the real congratulations go to the whole of our community. It is being transformed by the commitment, quality and vision of all my colleagues, and my knighthood is a way of honouring them."
He added: "By the standards of where we were a decade ago, we have manoeuvred ourselves into being one of the top handful of universities in Scotland. That makes this something of a minor golden age. What we really want to do now is to advance into a real golden age, where we are one of the top handful of universities in the world."
Professor Rice has been awarded the honour for services to higher education.
Professor Rice said: "On a personal level this is a wonderful honour, and I'm very proud of it. But I know it's intended to recognise all the University has achieved in the last decade. I am just the vehicle, and the real congratulations go to the whole of our community. It is being transformed by the commitment, quality and vision of all my colleagues, and my knighthood is a way of honouring them."
He added: "By the standards of where we were a decade ago, we have manoeuvred ourselves into being one of the top handful of universities in Scotland. That makes this something of a minor golden age. What we really want to do now is to advance into a real golden age, where we are one of the top handful of universities in the world."
14 Jun 2009
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced he will back a Palestinian state - but only if it is completely demilitarised.
He said a Palestinian state must have no army, no control of its air space and no way of smuggling in weapons.
And a Palestinian state must recognise Israel as a Jewish nation, he said.
Mr Netanyahu's speech, laying out his plans for regional peace, came a month after US President Barack Obama urged him to accept a two-state solution.
The BBC's Paul Wood says Mr Netanyahu broke ground by accepting the principle of a demilitarised Palestinian state, albeit with conditions, and this will be what the White House is looking for.
But our correspondent says the question is whether this will be enough to make up for the lack of movement on the issue of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Mr Obama has stressed that he wants all settlement activity to stop.
But in his speech Mr Netanyahu said settlers were not "enemies of peace" and did not move from his position of backing "natural growth" in existing settlements.
Guarantee needed
The Israeli leader offered to talk to the Palestinians immediately and with "no preconditions".
"We want to live with you in peace as good neighbours," he said.
Mr Netanyahu also said he was willing to go to Damascus, Riyadh and Beirut in pursuit of a Middle East peace deal.
He said Israel would "be prepared for a true peace agreement [and] to reach a solution of a demilitarised Palestinian state alongside the Jewish state".
But only if "we receive this guarantee for demilitarisation and the security arrangements required by Israel, and if the Palestinians recognise Israel as the nation of the Jewish people.
He said a Palestinian state must have no army, no control of its air space and no way of smuggling in weapons.
And a Palestinian state must recognise Israel as a Jewish nation, he said.
Mr Netanyahu's speech, laying out his plans for regional peace, came a month after US President Barack Obama urged him to accept a two-state solution.
The BBC's Paul Wood says Mr Netanyahu broke ground by accepting the principle of a demilitarised Palestinian state, albeit with conditions, and this will be what the White House is looking for.
But our correspondent says the question is whether this will be enough to make up for the lack of movement on the issue of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Mr Obama has stressed that he wants all settlement activity to stop.
But in his speech Mr Netanyahu said settlers were not "enemies of peace" and did not move from his position of backing "natural growth" in existing settlements.
Guarantee needed
The Israeli leader offered to talk to the Palestinians immediately and with "no preconditions".
"We want to live with you in peace as good neighbours," he said.
Mr Netanyahu also said he was willing to go to Damascus, Riyadh and Beirut in pursuit of a Middle East peace deal.
He said Israel would "be prepared for a true peace agreement [and] to reach a solution of a demilitarised Palestinian state alongside the Jewish state".
But only if "we receive this guarantee for demilitarisation and the security arrangements required by Israel, and if the Palestinians recognise Israel as the nation of the Jewish people.
SOURCE: BBC
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