Trump Calls for Two-State Solution to Middle East Crisis

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, said on Wednesday that he supports a two-state solution to resolve the Israel-Palestine crisis. This is described as the clearest stance of his administration in defense of this solution. The Trump administration had previously stated that it would support this solution only if both parties accepted it. Trump, during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, mentioned that the U.S. intends to announce its proposed peace plan within two to three months. Trump, who is in New York for the annual summit of UN member states, added, "I am in favor of a two-state solution. I think it is the best solution. That is my feeling." He also emphasized in a press conference in New York that he believes the establishment of two independent states "works best." Netanyahu stated that any future Palestinian state must be demilitarized and recognize Israel's existence as a Jewish state. Palestinians argue that these conditions indicate that the Israeli leader is not serious about peace. America's Arab allies are the main supporters of the two-state solution. Trump added, "I really believe something will happen. They say it is the hardest agreement." Without going into details, he mentioned that Israel must do something good for the other side. Since December 2017, when the Trump administration recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved its embassy to the city, doubts about the U.S. government's ability to facilitate an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians have increased. Trump referred to the agreement to resolve the Middle East crisis, saying, "One of my wishes is to accomplish this before the end of my first term as president." The status of Jerusalem is one of the main points of contention between Israel and the Palestinians, with both sides claiming it as their capital. The actions of the Trump administration have deeply angered Palestinians, who have since boycotted U.S. efforts to establish peace between the two sides, led by Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and advisor. Israel considers Jerusalem its capital, while Palestinians want East Jerusalem, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967, to be declared the capital of an independent Palestinian state. The international community has never recognized the annexation of East Jerusalem into Israeli territory.