US shift irresponsible: Palestinians
ramallah — US President Donald Trump’s break with decades of support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is irresponsible and does not advance peace, a senior Palestinian official said on Wednesday.
“This does not make sense,” Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) executive committee member Hanan Ashrawi said. “This is not a responsible policy and it does not serve the cause of peace.
“They cannot just say that without an alternative,” she added.
PLO secretary-general Saeb Erekat said the organisation remained committed to two states and would oppose any system that discriminated against Palestinians.
“Israel refuses one democratic secular state where Jews, Muslims and Christians can be equal and
There was a complete agreement that a resolution needs a two state-solution and that everything must be done to preserve that possibility Antonio Guterres, UN chief
those in government in Israel want to destroy the two-state solution,” he told a press conference. “The alternative will not and cannot be one state, two systems.”
Trump has not spoken directly to the Palestinian leadership since taking office last month.
A spokesman for Palestinian movement Hamas said the announcement was “confirmation that the so-called peace process is an illusion”. Gilad Erdan, Israel’s internal security minister from Likud Party, said on Monday that not one government minister supports a Palestinian state.
Ashrawi accused Trump of bowing to Israeli rightwingers.
“The US administration is trying to accommodate Netanyahu’s extremist coalition,” she said.
Sallai Meridor, Israeli ambassador to the US under the previous government, said the announcement may make it harder to get meaningful negotiations.
“It is difficult to see the Palestinians coming to the table today without the formula of the Palestinian state,” he told reporters. “Nor is it likely to see the Arab countries feel comfortable joining any process if the issue of a Palestinian state is not on the table.”