what do the israelis and palestinians want
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

US Secretary of State John Kerry

What do the Israelis and Palestinians want

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today What do the Israelis and Palestinians want

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L)
Jerusalem - Arab Today

 The decades-old Israel-Palestinian conflict has returned to the spotlight after a UN resolution condemning Israeli settlements and a major speech by US Secretary of State John Kerry.

On Wednesday, Kerry warned Israel's ongoing settlement growth is threatening the prospect of a final peace deal with the Palestinians -- the so-called two-state solution.

What is the two-state solution?

The idea dates back to 1947, a year before the creation of Israel, when the United Nations voted for partition of the land then known as British Mandate Palestine into two states -- one Jewish in nature and the other Arab.

After a war in 1967 Israel seized control of much of the Arab land, the largest part being the West Bank.

In the early 1990s peace talks led to the Oslo accords, which were meant to lead to an independent Palestinian state on the rough basis of the UN lines. However the state has failed to materialise, with the two sides trading blame.

In the meantime Israel has built dozens of settlements in the West Bank, with more than 400,000 Israelis now living in them, while around 2.6 million Palestinians live in the same territory.

They are seen as a major obstacle to peace and last week a UN Security Council resolution condemning settlements passed 14-0 after the United States unusually decided not to use its veto.

Are both sides still committed?

Officially Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is still committed to the two-state solution but has also said his government, seen as the most right-wing in Israel's history, is the most pro-settlement ever.

Education Minister Naftali Bennett, head of the far right Jewish Home party, has led the charge against the two state solution -- calling for annexation of most of the West Bank, which would effectively render a Palestinian state impossible.

On the Palestinian side, president Mahmud Abbas is committed to the idea of two states and has backed a French peace initiative.

The Palestinian people appear increasingly sceptical -- a poll this month found nearly two-thirds no longer believe the two-state solution as viable.

The second part of the Palestinian territory, the Gaza Strip, is run by Islamist movement Hamas -- which refuses to recognise Israel.

Can negotiations restart?

A Kerry-led peace initiative collapsed in 2014 and negotiations have been at a standstill since.

Netanyahu says he is willing to hold bilateral talks with Abbas any time without preconditions but the Palestinians demand a suspension of settlement building beforehand, a claim Abbas reiterated Wednesday.

The Israel government also demands that the Palestinians recognise Israel specifically as a Jewish state. 

For the Palestinians, doing so could preempt negotiations on the so-called right of return, the demand that Palestinian refugees from the time of Israel's creation in 1948 be allowed back under a peace deal.

France plans to hold an international peace conference on January 15 including some 70 nations with the aim of setting out a plan for restarting negotiations. 

Israel opposes the conference and calls for direct talks. The Palestinians support it, saying years of negotiations have not ended the occupation

Source: AFP

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

what do the israelis and palestinians want what do the israelis and palestinians want

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

what do the israelis and palestinians want what do the israelis and palestinians want

 



GMT 21:16 2016 Monday ,27 June

Zaki Badr discusses cleaning problem in Giza

GMT 21:46 2017 Saturday ,14 January

Turkey arrests 60 businessmen for alleged Gulen ties

GMT 22:38 2017 Friday ,24 March

Abbas meets with Merkel in Berlin

GMT 09:02 2017 Monday ,27 March

Tunisian Premier Concludes Visit to Sudan

GMT 15:54 2017 Friday ,01 September

Attorney General Directs Prosecutors to inspect Prison

GMT 09:22 2017 Sunday ,31 December

HM King condoles with Afghanistan President

GMT 10:12 2016 Wednesday ,06 April

Strong dollar, mild weather shrink H&M profits

GMT 17:03 2016 Saturday ,24 December

7 police killed in attacks in Afghansitan

GMT 13:51 2017 Friday ,17 March

Israel denies Syria shot down a warplane

GMT 04:08 2017 Thursday ,05 January

Carbon tax can fund clean energy transition

GMT 19:27 2016 Wednesday ,14 September

Alstom to go ahead with plans to shut down Belfort plant
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday