‘We Don’t Care’ About Full Statehood : Is Israel Abandoning the Two-State Path?

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

No Progress on Two-State Solution as Israel Insists on Security Control.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump met for the third time this year at the White House. While the meeting was framed as a moment of diplomatic success, it remained overshadowed by the ongoing war in Gaza, questions surrounding a potential two-state solution, and new tensions with Iran.

At the top of the agenda was a surprise move Prime Minister Netanyahu presented a formal letter to the Nobel Prize Committee nominating President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The nomination came during an especially tense period, as discussions were still ongoing about the possible relocation of Palestinian civilians from Gaza. When asked for clarity on the issue, Trump passed the question to Netanyahu.

Netanyahu responded by defending the plan, stating, “President Trump had a brilliant idea, give them a free choice. If they want to stay, they can. If not, they can leave. It won’t be a prison; it’ll be an open place.”

He added that Israel was working with the U.S. to find countries that would welcome Palestinians under the banner of “freedom to choose.” Trump, in turn, claimed there was strong support from countries in the region, stating optimistically, “Something good will happen.”

The Two-State Solution

When asked directly about the two-state solution, Trump once again deferred to Netanyahu. The Israeli leader responded, “Security will always remain in our hands. That’s a fact. Israel won’t agree to anything else. We won’t commit suicide,” Netanyahu said. He dismissed criticisms that the Palestinian entity wouldn’t be a full state. “We work on peace that Hamas can’t destroy. If they say it’s not a complete state “we don’t care,” he added.

Iran and Regional De-escalation

On the topic of Iran, Trump credited his administration for helping prevent wider conflict in the region, revealing that the U.S. base in Qatar had advance intelligence about Iran’s response to a previous strike“Our roundtable talks in Washington helped calm tensions,” Trump said.

President Trump used the opportunity to emphasize his wider peace efforts, citing recent progress in several conflict zones.“In the last three weeks, we worked hard—India and Pakistan, Serbia and Kosovo, Rwanda and Congo—we helped stop violence.”

He criticized Former President Biden over the Russia-Ukraine war, blaming him for escalating tensions. “It’s a horrible thing he’s done. I’m not happy with President Putin either,” Trump said. “I’m stopping wars. I care not only for Americans, but for Russians and Ukrainians too. They are just people. I have the ability to stop this.”

While admitting that the U.S. will continue to support Ukraine with more weapons, Trump justified the move by saying, “They’ve been hit hard.” While the visit included bold declarations and dramatic moments, many core questions, like the future of Palestinians, the timeline for ending the war, or the possibility of lasting peace, remain unanswered.