Two state solution dead?
Well what is one to make of the press conference between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu as they stood at their podiums giving a press conference. Well it seemed they were like a well oiled double act and had known each for years.
Gone was the cold atmosphere that existed between Obama and Netanyahu whose relationship took a dive as Obama's time in the White House neared its end. Obama and Kerry condemned Israel at the UN of its building of settlements on the West Bank but Trump reassured Israel that the relationship between it and the US would be back on track once he was in the White House.
So it seemed as the budding bromance between the two leaders blossomed as they stood outlining their policy to the Palestinians and the wider Middle East. Netanyahu knows that Trump will be harder on Iran than Obama was despite the fact the nuclear agreement overseen by the Obama administration still exists despite the fact Trump threatened to tear it up. Netanyahu also knows Arab countries like the UAE and Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are all enemies of Iran with which he feels maybe he can make common cause with.
Onto the Palestinians and Trump announced he had a great plan for peace between Israel and the Palestinians and while not saying what that would plan would entail he indicated it would be big. Netanyahu drew on states like Saudi, UAE and others as coming on board for peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians but whether this is doable is another thing.
Certainly Trump said if peace talks begin again between Palestinians and Israelis he could live with what ever they decide even if it is not the Oslo agreed two state solution. Anything short of a Palestinian state will not do for Palestinians either in their government in Nablus or for the average Palestinian on the street. Saeb Erakat chief Palestinian peace negotiator immediately stated this upon hearing about the Trump - Netanyahu talk of a plan for peace in the Middle East.
It seems according to some sources there is something Palestinians will not admit in public and that is this that if Palestine became a viable entity Israel would still have to have some kind of military presence on the West Bank. Either one would think in co - operation with Palestinian security forces or maintain an overall control of the area in theory protecting Israel proper and Palestinian people living there. However this second idea would seem Palestine would become an independent state but not having control of its security with the Israelis being overwhelmingly in charge of that would go down like a lead balloon in some Palestinian quarters and so the Palestinian resistance would continue so what would have been achieved nothing but the former scenario of permanent occupation of Palestinian land.
Also the building of massive settlements on land on the West Bank which could be used for Palestinian independence with 600,000 Jews living there seems to render a two state solution not viable at this time.
Many many American Presidents have spoken of bringing peace to Israel and Palestine and no doubt many Israelis and Palestinians with Trump joining the list of American Presidents who have proposed peace will not be thinking peace will break out soon given the failure of past peace agreements.
Short Bio of Sara Netanyahu
1) Born Sara Ben - Artzi
2) Of Polish Jewish descent
3) Born in Kiryat - Tiv'on near Haifa in 1958
4) Is approximately 58 years old
5) Worked for El - Al as a flight attendant
6) Worked for the Israel Defence Force
7) Did a BA in Psychology at Hebrew University
8) She is a qualified psychologist
9) Was a sterling student at school
10) Sued Schoken Publishers for libel
11) Describes herself as a Secular Jew