Door closing on two-state solution: Jordan’s king
Jordan’s King Abdullah speaks at a session of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2013 on January 25, 2013 at the Swiss resort of Davos. — Photo AFP
DAVOS: The door is closing on the chances of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and will be firmly shut by the end of US President Barack Obama’s second term, Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned Friday.
“If we’re not too late, the two-state solution will only survive as long as President Obama’s term. If we don’t fix it in the next four years, I don’t believe it will ever happen,” Abdullah told political and business leaders gathered at the Swiss ski resort of Davos.
“Jordan with some Arab countries, and with three leaders in Europe — the British, the French and Germans — are all marching towards Washington in February and March to say ‘Mr. President it’s time to really engage in the Israeli-Palestinian process’,” the king said.
He predicted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is preparing to form a coalition government after this week’s election, will come under pressure to make progress in the peace process.
“Whatever he does to form his coalition, he’s got to keep in mind that the international community … is going to be knocking on his door and that of the Palestinians to move the process forward,” the king said.
Direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been stalled for over two years, bogging down over Palestinian anger at continued Israeli settlement building.
At his confirmation hearing as the next US secretary of state on Thursday, US Senator John Kerry said he believed there was “a way forward” in the peace process and that time was running out for a two-state solution.
israel never wanted a two-state solution,after if had the strength of defeating any possible joint arab save-palestine mission(1965 war). the latest show of might must have given it more confidence.
how it will have to be pressed and pushed to the wall to accept the two-state solution as the only viable option it has to pick.
how else can better dictate that then its mother-america(with its tourch of liberty and bible).
Conflict has not brought peace and an amicable solution to the problem. Israel is a reality now and so is Palestine. An amicable and honorable settlement must be found through dialogue for both the nations. Unfortunately, the violence has been kept alive on both sides as many earn their living through the so called negotiation process.