In what appears to be a laughable case of wishful thinking, the US State Department today insisted that they expect whoever wins next week’s Israeli election will form a government “committed to a two-state solution.”
The comments come after a weekend statement from Likud, Israel’s current ruling party, quoting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declaring past support for a two-state solution null and void, and Likud officials bragging that Netanyahu had undermined Palestinian statehood throughout his political career.
Netanyahu’s office is denying the quotes, though Likud is his party, and they continue to distribute the statement among synagogues in the lead up to the election, hoping to get votes on a platform opposed to Palestinian statehood.
Likud isn’t alone in their aversion to a two-state solution. Far right party Jewish Home has for years insisted that God didn’t make the occupied territories big enough for settlers and Palestinians, and that means the Palestinians have to go. Center-right party Kulanu has echoed calls to annex the West Bank to spite the Palestinians for trying to form a state.
At the end of the day, what the US wants is an Israeli government that can claimed to be sort of in favor of peace talks, and they’ll probably get one, so long as that government doesn’t have to actually hold peace talks or make any deals.
Good. netenyahoo interferes with US politics constantly. It's time for the USG to make it clear it supports Herzog.
I´m afraid it´s all a joke, Rick. The US has been saying that for years, every administration, but they don´t really mean it, they never have.
the US being the .."honest" broker it never was….
for the whole time of these non=negotiations the US has had zionist running it
So much better for everyone if the mask is lifted, and they can't lie about it any more; of course this has been the plan all along, for years. Will the "mainstream" let Netanyahu go back to lying about it after the election?
The point is that there is a plan for peace in the Middle East, and it is simple: Israel keeps all the land it now controls, and the non-Jews get out. That's the plan.
The sooner the world starts stating plainly that we all get it, we understand that this is the plan, and start to tell Israel what will happen to them as a result, the better.
…it really could be that the next set of criminals give lip-service to 'two states' …especially if they were actually distinct from the current set.
"We expect next Israeli govt to support two-state solution"
Sure you do. And why shouldn't the Palestinians support it as well, with the bifurcated, non-contiguous Palestinian territory criss-crossed with rabid Jewish fundamentalists?
Sounds like a winning strategy.
Sure. Just like Jacob was intending to share his " inheritance" with his swindled half-brother as soon as things settled down..
All Israeli governments have always supported a two state solution since 1967, just like Obama wants world peace.