In an important development, Israel’s ambassador to Britain has said that Israel will not accept a two-state solution with the Palestinians after the war with Hamas in Gaza ends.

Tzipi Hotovely has told Sky News that she does not believe in the long-standing position of the UK government and the United Nations that an independent Palestinian state should be established.

According to her, “The answer is absolutely no. Israel knows today, and the world should know now that the reason the Oslo Accords failed is because the Palestinians never wanted to have a state next to Israel.

They want to have a state from the river to the sea.” Whatever ultra right Hotovely has stated is clearly aimed at deceiving the entire world. Therefore, this Israeli canard must be dismissed for what it is. The amount of lies and twisted facts that this lady in particular is telling the western media is just horrific.

Little does this right wing extremist appreciate the fact that many Israelis, including former prime ministers Ehud Olmert and Ehud Barak, are still advocating the two-state solution, underscoring the need for resurrecting the goal of a renewed peace process between Israel and Palestinians.

Last but not least, the catch-all phrase “from the river to the sea” does allude to some of, not all, Palestinians’ desire to have control over the entire Israeli territory.

What would be her answer to the question if the entire populations of Palestinians in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon and elsewhere formally declare that they too are no longer interested in a two-state solution?

Abu Adnan (Karachi)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023