The rejection of the two-state solution by the Israeli ambassador disappoints the British government
The British Foreign Secretary downplays the significance of the ambassador's statements, urging to move forward and consider how to assist in achieving the two-state solution
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron stated on Thursday that the statement by Israel‘s ambassador to London, Tzipi Hotovely, excluding the two-state solution, is “disappointing.” This comes as both the ruling circles in the Israeli state and the opposition refuse to commit to the international decision regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state, while extremist ministers believe that the Oslo Accords have ended. Earlier today, Hotovely said that “Israel will not accept the two-state solution when the war on Gaza ends.”
When Cameron, for the first time as Foreign Secretary, was asked by the House of Lords committee whether he believed Hotovely was speaking on instructions from her government, Cameron said, “I do not know the answer; I have read the statement, and it was disappointing.” The minister clarified, “Ultimately, I care deeply about the security and stability of Israel, and I believe in Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people, its right to exist, prosper, defend itself, and all that remains of it. But I believe that long-term security requires the existence of a Palestinian state as well.”
He added, “So, I don’t think we should give too much importance to one statement; we should move forward and think about how to help achieve that.” In defending the British decision not to vote in favor of a UN resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, Cameron said, “An immediate ceasefire may not lead to a lasting peace if it allows Hamas to launch more attacks similar to the incident on October 7 last year.”
He said, “I did not want this conflict to continue for a moment longer than necessary, but if we want to achieve a ceasefire, it must be a sustainable ceasefire so that Hamas does not return to repeat what happened on October 7 last year.” Many international forces, in addition to the Arab group, are pressing for Israel to submit to the two-state solution. However, the Israeli state, led by an extremist right-wing government, rejects compliance with all international decisions, driven by Western and American support. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear in July of last year that Israel rejects any aspiration to establish a Palestinian state, pointing out that the solution is normalizing relations with Arab countries and ending the Palestinian issue.
The Israeli authorities’ seizure of land in East Jerusalem to build settlements is evidence of Israel’s rejection of the two-state solution. Since October 7th last year, the Israeli army has been waging a destructive war on Gaza, causing, as of Thursday, 18,787 deaths and 50,897 injuries, mostly children and women, and extensive destruction of infrastructure, leading to an “unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe,” according to Palestinian and international sources.