Trump, Netanyahu exchange confirms two-state solution died ‘long time ago’
An exchange between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington clearly signalled that the US commitment to a two-state solution is dead and buried, Israeli journalist Gideon Levy says.
Asked by a reporter whether there would be a two-state solution, Trump deferred to Netanyahu, who replied that Palestinians should have powers to govern themselves, but not to threaten Israel, “which means that certain powers like overall security will always remain in our hands”.
Levy told Al Jazeera that the exchange was “an official declaration of the death” of the two-state solution, which in effect had died “a long time ago”.
He said there were “some benefits” to dealing with the reality of the situation, rather than continuing with the “masquerade” of a two-state solution, while Israeli settlers continue to occupy “any piece of land in the West Bank”.
“We have to face it: there will never be a Palestinian state and we have to think about the conclusions and the consequences, namely to think about a different vision,” said Levy.
“There is no serious chance for a Palestinian state as long as the occupation continues and above all as long as the settlement project continues.”
Netanyahu’s warlust making Israel ‘less secure’
Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu’s reliance on a military solution to issues, from Gaza to Iran, is making his country less secure in the long run, an Israeli journalist says.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Gideon Levy, a columnist for Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, says that Israel’s military superiority might be the stuff of “action films”, but is failing to bring the country more security.
“What will we get by the end of the war?” he said. “You really think Israel is becoming a more secure place than two years ago? I don’t think so. Because you ignore the price.”
He said Israel was becoming “a pariah state”, which brought its own security threat. “Being a pariah state makes it a very unpleasant place to be in, and also dangerous,” he said.
“What is the benefit in the long run? Is Israel going to live on its own forever? There’s not one country in history that lived all its life only on its military power.”
Well, there's North Korea...
‘There are no red lines any more’ UN expert Albanese says
The top UN expert on Palestinian rights says the US decision to place her under sanctions could have a “chilling effect” on people who engage with her and could restrict her movements but she plans to continue her work.
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Francesca Albanese would be added to the US sanctions list for her actions, which he described as prompting illegitimate prosecutions of Israelis at the International Criminal Court.
Albanese said she now faces asset freezes and potential travel restrictions, warning that the US decision could set a “dangerous” precedent for human rights defenders worldwide.
“There are no red lines any more. … It is scary,” she told the Reuters news agency via video link from Bosnia and Herzegovina, where she was attending events for the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.
“It might block me from moving around. It will have a chilling effect on people normally engaging with me because for American citizens or for green card holders, this is going to be extremely problematic.”
