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UK calls for U.S. focus on Israel-Palestinian issue
British Foreign Secretary William Hague arrives at a European Union foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels November 19, 2012.
Credit: Reuters/Francois Lenoir
LONDON |
LONDON (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary William Hague on Sunday urged the United States to take a more active role in seeking a lasting settlement between Israelis and Palestinians, warning of a "final chance" for a two-state solution.
Eight days of fighting between Israel and Palestinians in the Hamas-ruled enclave of Gaza diverted U.S. President Barack Obama's attention to the Middle East as he toured Asia on his first trip abroad after this month's election.
Hague told the BBC it was "time for a huge effort on the Middle East peace process".
"This is what I have been calling for, particularly calling for the United States now after their election to show the necessary leadership on this over the coming months, because they have crucial leverage with Israel and no other country has," Hague said.
"We're coming to the final chance maybe for a two state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," he added.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton broke off from Obama's tour of Asia to help negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to end this month's bout violence.
Recent U.S. efforts to coax the Palestinians and Israelis back into negotiations to agree a long term peace have failed, and talks are set become even more fraught if the Palestinians succeed in securing recognition as an "observer state".
A vote on the diplomatic upgrade could take place later this month at the U.N. General Assembly, and if successful would implicitly recognize Palestinian statehood. Israel and the United States oppose the move and call for a return to talks.
The last direct negotiations between Israel and Palestinian leaders in the occupied West Bank broke down in 2010 over the issue of Jewish settlement building across the territory.
Britain has also been pushing the United States, a close ally, to take a bigger role in helping to end the conflict in Syria, with Prime Minister David Cameron calling for greater engagement within hours of Obama's re-election.
(Reporting by Mohammed Abbas; Editing by Alison Williams)
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It’s not Israel. If these people will stop and think ahead just one iota, they will realize that Israel is the current popular scapegoat. If Israel will disappear tomorrow (never happen), the Arabs will target Europe and the West next.
Hamas just lost another round of war. Instead of rebuilding it’s citizenry’s housing, expanding medical facilities, and making Gaza more livable, they are boasting of getting more missiles. If no missiles will cross the borders into Israel, Israel will not retaliate. It’s that numbingly stupid. Now if this doesn’t give you a clue as to where we are going, nothing is going to help you.
However, the more fundamental problem with the two-state solution is that it leaves apartheid, racist Zionism intact. This will never lead to peace, regardless of whatever else occurs.
At this point in time, the only possible solution is to formalize Israel-Palestine as a single state with equal rights for all citizens, that is, amongst other things, the end of Zionism.
To accomplish this, the Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions advocated above is a good start. Basically, if for no other reason than the pure self-interest of world peace, the West needs to help Zionists get over their sickness. The foundation of Israel have been based largely upon the Western-perpetrated Holocaust, and it is our responsibility to clean up the mess which we acquiesced to.
Search: one-state-solution
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