UN warns Trump over his reversal on 'two-state' solution
Thursday - February 16, 2017 7:10 pm ,
Category : WORLD
United Nations:The UN chief has warned US President Donald Trump against abandoning the idea of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying there is "no alternative".
It comes after Mr Trump went against decades of US policy, saying he would back whatever formula led to peace.
Palestinians reacted with alarm to the possibility that the US could drop support for Palestinian statehood.
The last round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks broke down in 2014.
Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, President Trump promised to deliver a "great" peace deal.
But he said both sides must compromise.
"So I'm looking at two states and one state," he said. "And I like the one that both parties like."
'Substance not labels'
Following the news conference, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged the international community to do everything it could to bring about a two-state solution.
He said there was no other option for resolving the conflict.
Grey line
What is the two-state solution?
A "two-state solution" to the decades-old conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is the declared goal of their leaders and the international community.
It is the shorthand for a final settlement that would see the creation of an independent state of Palestine within pre-1967 ceasefire lines in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, living peacefully alongside Israel.
The UN, the Arab League, the European Union, Russia and, until now, the US routinely restate their commitment to the concept.
IANS
It comes after Mr Trump went against decades of US policy, saying he would back whatever formula led to peace.
Palestinians reacted with alarm to the possibility that the US could drop support for Palestinian statehood.
The last round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks broke down in 2014.
Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, President Trump promised to deliver a "great" peace deal.
But he said both sides must compromise.
"So I'm looking at two states and one state," he said. "And I like the one that both parties like."
'Substance not labels'
Following the news conference, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged the international community to do everything it could to bring about a two-state solution.
He said there was no other option for resolving the conflict.
Grey line
What is the two-state solution?
A "two-state solution" to the decades-old conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is the declared goal of their leaders and the international community.
It is the shorthand for a final settlement that would see the creation of an independent state of Palestine within pre-1967 ceasefire lines in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, living peacefully alongside Israel.
The UN, the Arab League, the European Union, Russia and, until now, the US routinely restate their commitment to the concept.
IANS
