A White House spokesman said the Obama administration is not confident that a two-state solution will happen during President Obama’s tenure, even though Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was committed to the “two-state” solution during his meeting with Obama Monday.
“[T]he way to judge the priorities of any government is to take a look at what they’re doing and to examine the follow through,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. “And this is certainly an opportunity for Prime Minister Netanyahu to try to put forward some ideas to move this process in the direction of a two-state solution.”
“You know, I think we’ve been quite candid about the fact that given the dynamic on both sides, that it’s unlikely that that two-state solution will be reached in the next 14 months,” he continued. “It’s even unlikely that talks in pursuit of that two-state solution will begin in the next 14 months. But, if there’s anything that we can do to try to move the process in that direction, then we certainly want to be supportive of the efforts on both sides to do it.”
Earlier Monday, Netanyahu told reporters gathered in the Oval Office: “I want to make it clear that we have not given up our hope for peace. We’ll never give up the hope for peace. And I remain committed to a vision of peace of two states for two peoples — a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes the Jewish state.”
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Earnest said that both sides will have to take confidence-building steps to even restart talks.
“And it means that we’re going to need to see a reduction if not an end to the violence,” Earnest said. “We certainly are going to need to see an end to the incitement and you know, we’re going to need to see a willingness on both sides to engage constructively. And to be fair about it … one thing that we have said is that continued Israeli settlement construction is counter-productive to that process.”
If both sides move forward, the Obama administration stands at the ready to advance talks, Earnest said.
“And, you know, ultimately, what is clear is that the political leaders on both sides are going to have to make some difficult decisions, including some decisions that in the short term may be politically unpopular with their people, but over the long term are going to be critical to the success and advancement of people on both sides of that issue,” he said. “So the president continues to stand at the ready to facilitate those kinds of conversations, but obviously we’ve got a long way to go before something like that is likely to occur.”
