Doubt over US stance on 2-state solution
BETHLEHEM: In a meeting with the left-wing Israeli Meretz party on Sunday in the central occupied West Bank district of Ramallah, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reportedly expressed his confusion regarding the US stance on Israel and Palestine, saying he “can’t understand” the position of US President Donald Trump’s administration on the conflict.
Israeli news daily Haaretz reported that during the meeting with the Meretz delegation, Abbas discussed previous meetings he had with US envoys, saying while “he heard that they support a two-state solution to the conflict and a settlement construction freeze”, the officials have yet to state such demands publicly or to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I have met with Trump envoys about 20 times since the beginning of his term as president of the United States,” Haaretz quoted Abbas as saying, citing “notes taken by some of the meeting’s participants”.
“Every time they repeatedly stressed to me how much they believe and are committed to a two-state solution and a halt to construction in the settlements. I have pleaded with them to say the same thing to Netanyahu, but they refrained. They said they would consider it but then they didn’t get back to me,” Abbas said.
Abbas expressed doubts regarding an upcoming visit to the region by a US delegation, led by Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner – a former real-estate developer.
Abbas said he intends to again ask Kushner “to have the White House express its commitment to a two-state solution and to demand a halt to settlement construction”.
Ma’an