The Trump administration said Tuesday that peace between the Israelis and Palestinians may not come in the form of a two-state solution — a dramatic shift from former President Barack Obama, who said he saw no alternative.
Speaking to reporters ahead of President Donald Trump’s meeting Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a senior White House official said Trump is eager to begin facilitating a peace deal between the two side and hoping to bring them together soon.
But the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to preview the visit, said it will be up to the Israelis and Palestinians to determine what peace will entail.
The official said peace is the goal, regardless of whether it comes in the form of a two-state solution. He says the administration will work as a facilitator, but is not going to dictate what the terms of peace are going to be.
During his final White House news conference, Obama warned that the moment for a two-state solution “may be passing” and said the “status quo is unsustainable.”
Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Trump at the White House Wednesday, after which he’ll head to Capitol Hill for meetings with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Trump takes pride in his deal-making skills and said during his campaign that he’d love the challenge of negotiating a Mideast agreement. At one point Trump pointed to his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as the best man for the job.
The official said the Trump and Netanyahu are likely to discuss peace as well as expanded Israeli settlements, Iran and Trump’s campaign pledge to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
(AP)
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11 Responses
Yay
Just like Bibi prevented Trump from moving US Embassy to Yerushalaim, Bibi will change Trump’s mind to support “two state” final solution.
What are Trump and Bibi doing in one of Saddam Hussein’s old palaces?
Come on huju, Saddam’s palaces had much higher ceilings.
It is obvious that giving the Palestinians their own state is only providing another terror base. The Pals have never stopped praising terrorists who attack and kill Jews, so there is little to expect in terms of love from them.
On the other hand if Israel is very tough and kicks out the PA and takes over the land it is very possible that we might see something better than Gaza in the West Bank.
Israel is Israel & Jordan is Palestine. End.
Prerequisite for 2 states living in PEACE and not. PIECE is that each state should realize the others uniqueness and identity – i.e. That Palestinians recignize Israel as the JEWISH state .. Before this happens , there is no chance of true lasting peace they the “two state” proposed solution….
I think that’s mamish lukshen kugel. Since the state was created thousands of Yiden have been murdered because of it so if you kick out more Arabs you could chas vesholom expect the same. This is not our mesoirah to take over lands when Hashem put us in gales. Yidden don’t go according to what we think that we are strong and smart and could make army like the goyim. We have a Torah and gedoilim that are madrich is.
to voosdeevilst
so tell us what does the torah and the gedolim telling us to do here in this situation without going back in history?? the answer is nothing because no one knows. so re try our best according to the sechel hashem gave us
Dear Voosdeevilst,
Do you live in Eretz Yisrael? I do. Now that the State of Israel has been created, what is the alternative? Do you really think that giving our land to the PLO will solve the peace problem?
Oh yeah, we already did that in Gaza. Now, we have lukshen kugel peace. I think that you’d better try some Yerushalmi kugel before adding any more of your 2 agorot.
While we are in galus, the consensus of the majority of the Gedolei Hador today is to work with the system by voting and participating in the Israeli government. The Gedolim have already figured out the halachic issues involved and poskined contrary to your opinion. Please do not support the bloodshed of myself and family by giving Jewish land to the Arabs.
Dear Avi Gordon, I think you should read slower next time. I wrote that we shouldn’t take over the whole land. That does not mean to give over the land to them. And the consensus of the gedoilim was to work with the system to gain as much as we could gain. It was NOT that everything the reshoim in the Knesset do is right. And by the way, if you want to know why yidden get killed and hurt look in the Gemara Perek hacones which says that it is bc of the reshoim. Which includes Bibi who did not stop the law against yeshivah bachurim , the real iron dome, and others hamayvin yovin. To be clear, I am not suggesting what should be done, that’s for the gedoilim, I am just trying to write the right way how we should see things.