WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a phone call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the State Department said.
The move came as Israel’s former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has not endorsed the two-state idea, sealed his return to power following Tuesday’s election and launched negotiations on forming what could be the most right-wing government in Israel’s history.
In a call with Abbas, Blinken “further reaffirmed our commitment to a two-state solution,” the State Department said in a statement.
Blinken and Abbas also discussed “joint efforts to improve the quality of life for the Palestinian people and enhance their security and freedom.”
The election result came against the backdrop of soaring violence between Israel and the Palestinians.
The Israeli army said its fighter jets early on Friday targeted a rocket manufacturing site in the blockaded Gaza Strip, in response to several rockets fired toward Israel.
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President Mahmoud Abbas and Secretary of State Antony Blinken and also discussed ‘joint efforts to improve the quality of life for the Palestinian people and enhance their security and freedom.’
On Thursday four Palestinians, including an assailant, were killed by Israeli forces in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.
Blinken “underscored his deep concern over the situation in the West Bank, including heightened tensions, violence, and loss of both Palestinian and Israeli lives, and emphasized the need for all parties to de-escalate the situation urgently,” according to the State Department.
Palestinian analyst Noor Odeh said the differing ideological positions expressed by Israeli politicians over the future of the occupied territories made little difference to policy, which was always dictated by the security fears of Israelis.
“In terms of policy, being opposed to statehood, seeking annexation (of the occupied West Bank), whether de facto or not, they are all reading from the same playbook, because they are all catering to the same far-right public opinion,” he said.
Odeh voiced concern over the role of the far right in a future Netanyahu-led government.
The former premier’s return to power came largely thanks to a surge in support for his far-right ally, the Religious Zionism bloc, whose co-leaders Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich now expect to be rewarded with key ministries.
The two men have said they want the public security and defense portfolios, although Israeli analysts have said Netanyahu is likely to resist that.
But even without those ministries, the far right is expected to wield unprecedented influence.
The difference between Netanyahu and defeated centrist incumbent Yair Lapid is like the difference “between Pepsi and Coca Cola,” said Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh soon after the result of Tuesday’s election was confirmed.
Few Palestinians were shedding tears over Lapid’s departure.
“At least, with Lapid gone, we can stop pretending that the Israelis are interested in peace,” said Ahmad Saadi, a 31-year-old market stallholder, as he left afternoon prayers in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
“Maybe now the world will see that Netanyahu is not the exception, he represents the true feelings of Israelis, and they are not interested in peace.”
Gazans also remember the three-day war which Lapid launched against militants in August, in which 49 Palestinians died, 17 of them children.
“I am afraid that Netanyahu and the right will cancel the permits for workers from Gaza,” said construction worker Sohail Mohammed, 54, who recently managed to get one of the 17,000 Israeli work permits made available under Lapid.
“I only just got the permit that gave me and my family hope for a better life,” he added.
For Mohammed Al-Hindi, 27 and unemployed, it was “a boring repetition of the same scenario”.
“The repercussions on us in Gaza are not important, because what matters to them is the security of Israel,” he said.
