Blinken stresses two-state solution to Palestinian conflict in call with Israeli minister

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks to staff at the US State Department during the first visit of US President Joe Biden(L) in Washington, DC, February 4, 2021. (AFP/File)

• Both sides also discussed regional security challenges

LONDON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his Israeli counterpart on Monday that a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was best for the future of Israel, the US State Department said
“The Secretary addressed the US approach toward a more peaceful, secure, and prosperous future for Israelis, Palestinians, and the greater Middle East,” it said in a statement.
Blinken, in a call with Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, “emphasized the Biden administration’s belief that the two-state solution is the best way to ensure Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state, living in peace alongside a viable and democratic Palestinian state,” the State Department said.
Blinken also told Ashkenazi of Washington’s continued “commitment to opposing unfair, one-sided actions against Israel in the multilateral arena.”
Both sides also discussed regional security challenges and the importance of continued cooperation in addressing these issues. 
Ashkenazi and Blinken “acknowledged the steadfast partnership between the United States and Israel, and that the two countries would work closely together on challenges ahead,” it added.
(With Reuters)