INSTANT VIEW: Reactions to Israeli PM Netanyahu's speech

(Reuters) - Following are reactions to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu keynote speech near Tel Aviv on Sunday in which he said he would accept a demilitarized Palestinian state along side the Jewish state.

EITAN GILBOA, ISRAELI EXPERT ON U.S. RELATIONS:

"The United States should be impressed and should consider this a good start for a major effort to implement Obama's plan for Middle East peace.

"If (Obama) looks at the half-full glass this should be sufficient, but if he is looking for confrontation with Israel you would look and say the glass is half-empty."

MICHAEL OREN, HISTORIAN AND ISRAEL'S NEW WASHINGTON ENVOY:

"It would be tragic if the Palestinians were to once again miss a sincere opportunity and an offer for coexistence and two states living side by side ... The speech was highly representative of the Israeli electorate, one would hope that they would reach out and embrace this offer.

SAEB EREKAT, SENIOR PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR:

"President Obama, the ball is in your court tonight. You have the choice tonight. You can deal with Netanyahu as a prime minister above the law, close the file of peace tonight and engulf the whole area in the direction of violence, chaos, extremism and bloodletting. The other choice is to make Netanyahu abide by the "road map" plan for peace.

"The peace process has been moving at the speed of a tortoise. Tonight, Netanyahu has flipped it over on its back."