A bill aimed at shoring up the peace process has been rejected in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, with broad opposition from members of the far-right coalition government.
The “two-state solution” bill expressed support for making a permanent peace deal with the Palestinians, and would’ve forbidden Israel from annexing any land in the occupied territories unless it was done as part of a peace treaty.
The bill aimed to be the alternative to another which aimed to unilaterally annex the Jordan Valley. That bill was pushed by hawks who aimed to derail any peace deal creating an independent Palestine.
Before today’s bill was voted down, it sparked intense debate between opposition factions and coalition hawks, who accused the bill’s proponents of wanting to “give away parts of our homeland.” Such MPs have insisted God granted the whole of the occupied territories to Israel and oppose Palestinian statehood as a result.
