Biden says Israeli PM not opposed to all two-state solutions after pair talk for first time in nearly a month
The US president spoke to Netanyahu for the first time in nearly a month about differences over a future Palestinian state, as well as Israel’s strikes in Gaza. When the Palestinian death toll has surpassed 24,000, according to local health authorities.
The US president said Netanyahu was not opposed to all two-state solutions, and there were a number of types possible.
The two leaders discussed efforts to secure the remaining hostages held by Hamas, and Israel’s shift to more “targeted” operations in Gaza to allow more humanitarian assistance to come through, the White House’s spokesperson John Kirby said after the call.
Kirby told reporters that Biden had been trying to schedule the call “for quite a bit of time” and denied it came in response to Netanyahu’s comment on Thursday saying he objected to Palestinian statehood that did not guarantee Israel’s security.
Friday’s phone call came one day after Netanyahu said that he had told US officials in plain terms that he will not support a Palestinian state as part of any postwar plan. Biden, for his part, in Friday’s call reaffirmed his commitment to work toward helping the Palestinians move toward statehood.
Asked if a two-state solution was impossible while Netanyahu was still in office, Biden said: “No, it’s not.”
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with US mayors, Biden said Netanyahu was not opposed to all two-state solutions, and there were a number of types possible, adding that some United Nations members do not have military forces.
Biden was asked if he would reconsider conditions on Israel aid given Netanyahu’s comments rejecting a two-state solution.
“I think we’ll be able to work something out ,I think there’s ways in which this could work,” he said.
