This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
U.S. President Donald Trump says he will outline a two-state peace plan for the Middle East in the coming months — in the clearest indication so far of his administration’s support for such an outcome.
Trump, speaking at a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York, said that it was a “dream” of his to bring about a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Netanyahu’s position is that any future Palestinian state should be demilitarized and recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people.
“I would say over the next two to three to four months,” Trump said, referring to the prospective time frame for presenting the peace plan.
The Trump administration has in the past said it would support a two-state solution if both sides agreed to it.
“I like a two-state solution. That’s what I think works best…. That’s my feeling,” Trump said.
But a senior Palestinian official rejected Trump’s comments, saying his White House’s policies were ruining hopes of peace.
“Their words go against their actions and their action is absolutely clear [and] is destroying the possibility of the two-state solution,” said Husam Zomlot, head of the recently closed Palestinian mission in Washington.
