White House insists negotiations best path to Palestinian statehood
The Biden administration has made no secret of its hope to broker a long-shot, multi-part arrangement leading Saudi Arabia and Israel to normalize relations.
By TOVAH LAZAROFFUpdated: MAY 22, 2024 21:06 U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks, at a celebration for Jewish American Heritage Month, in the Rose Garden at the White House, in Washington, U.S., May 20, 2024.(photo credit: REUTERS/LEAH MILLIS)
The White House stood firm in its opposition to unilateral Palestinian statehood recognition after Ireland, Spain, and Norway issued such a declaration on Wednesday, which would take effect as of May 28.President Joe Biden “has been on the record supporting a two-state solution,” US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters in Washington.“He has been equally emphatic that a two-state solution should be brought about through direct negotiations through the parties, not through unilateral recognition,” Sullivan said.
“That’s a principal position that we have held consistently,” he said.
Focus of the US
“We believe the only way that you are going to achieve a two-state solution that delivers for both Israelis and Palestinians, is through direct negotiations between the parties. That's what we've been focused on,” Sullivan said.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas gestures, as he attends a swearing-in ceremony for the newly formed cabinet, in Ramallah, in the West Bank, March 31, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Mohammed Torokman)He alluded to the White House’s efforts to finalize a normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel, as he explained that the two states were also part of a regional strategy to integrate Israel into the region.When pressed by a reporter, he said, he was concerned by Israel's growing isolation on the international stage.“As a country that stands strong in defense of Israel in international forums like the United Nations, we certainly have seen a growing chorus of voices including voices that had previously been in support of Israel drift in another direction,” Sullivan said, adding “that this is of concern to us.“We do not believe that that contributes to Israel's long-term security or vitality. And so that's something that we discussed with the Israeli government,” he said.It is for this reason, Sullivan said, that the US had urged Israel to take a more diplomatically strategic approach to defeating Hamas and providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza.
