Biden reiterates to Netanyahu the need for a two-state solution | International

US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Friday for the first time in nearly a month, as their differences appear to be becoming increasingly public. This call, in which the tenant of the White House reiterated the need to create a future Palestinian state, comes after the Israeli leader unequivocally rejected this perspective, a fundamental pillar on which Washington bases its proposals for the aftermath of the war in Gaza. . But in statements during a meeting with mayors, Biden assured that Netanyahu was not opposed to “all” models of Palestinian statehood. “I believe we will reach a solution,” he asserted, declaring that it is “not” impossible to achieve the two-state solution as long as the current Israeli prime minister is in power.

The telephone conversation, which lasted about 40 minutes, was the first since December 23, when the dialogue between the two leaders was so unconstructive that Biden ended up hanging up on his interlocutor, according to the American news portal Axios. This time, more diplomatic courses were needed to discuss, according to the White House, the latest events in Israel and Gaza.

The two men discussed steps taken, publicly and behind the scenes, to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas and other Palestinian groups since the radical militia attacked Israel on October 7, according to the council spokesperson national security, John. Kirby, during the daily White House press briefing. They also discussed “a pivot toward millimeter operations that will allow more humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza, while maintaining significant military pressure on Hamas and its leaders,” and Biden praised Netanyahu for the decision. Israeli authorities to authorize arrival by sea into the Gaza Strip. flour shipments, the spokesperson said.

Much of the conversation was devoted to what has become one of the great stumbling blocks in a relationship between the two governments that at the start of the conflict seemed unbreakable: the post-war future and the need for a two-state solution. , the Israeli and the Palestinian. Biden “also discussed his vision for more lasting peace and security for a fully integrated Israel in the region.”

Tensions between the two allied countries have been particularly evident since Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip to the Middle East earlier this month, his fourth tour to the region since the current war in Gaza began in October. During a visit aimed at trying to prevent the conflict from spreading to other parts of the region and to prepare for the aftermath of the war, the head of American diplomacy proposed to the Israeli authorities a plan by which Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries would contribute to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, and Riyadh would accept the normalization of relations with Israel, in exchange for steps toward the creation of a Palestinian state coexisting peacefully with Israel.

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On Thursday, Netanyahu flatly rejected the possibility. “In any future agreement, Israel will have to control the security of all territories west of the Jordan River,” the prime minister said.

Despite Netanyahu’s rejection, Biden “continues to believe in the promise and possibility of a two-state solution.” He realizes that this is going to take a lot of work. This will require a lot of leadership in the region, particularly on both sides of the issue. But the United States remains firmly committed to seeing this result in the future,” John Kirby stressed.

The two leaders also addressed Israel’s payment of tax revenues to the Palestinian National Authority in the West Bank and “recent progress in ensuring that Palestinian authorities are available to pay salaries, including those of Palestinian security forces.” did he declare. “President Biden also discussed Israel’s responsibility to reduce harm to civilians and protect the innocent while maintaining military pressure on Hamas,” the spokesperson added.

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