05/23/2021

Secretary Blinken Affirms Biden's Support for a Two-state Solution

He feels it's the only way to create long-term Middle East peace

Today, Secretary of State Antony Blinken affirmed President Joe Biden's commitment to a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, arguing that without solutions that afforded Palestinians more dignity, the cycle of violence was likely to continue.

"Ultimately, it is the only way to ensure Israel's future as a Jewish and democratic state, and, of course, the only way to give the Palestinians the state to which they're entitled," he told host George Stephanopoulos on ABC's "This Week," while acknowledging that it would take some time to get to that point.

Blinken credited Biden's quiet diplomacy for the cease-fire secured between Israel and Hamas, which controls Gaza. The cease-fire began Friday after 11 days of violence that claimed the lives of 12 Israelis and more than 230 Palestinians. Blinken argued that in the near term, the most important objective was rebuilding the massive structural damage in Gaza and solving the resulting humanitarian crisis.

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