Trump wants two-state solution

Israel PM adds security caveat to Palestinian territory idea

UNITED NATIONS - US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he wanted a two-state solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the clearest expression yet of his government's support for such an outcome.

The Trump administration has said in the past it would support a two-state solution if both sides agreed to it.

Trump also said in a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations General Assembly he wanted to unveil a peace plan in the next two to three months.

"I like a two-state solution. That's what I think works best. ... That's my feeling," Trump said.

Netanyahu said he accepts a self-ruling Palestinian authority but only if Israel retained the security control over such a territory.

He has said any future Palestinian state must be demilitarized and must recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people - conditions that Palestinians say show he is not sincere about peacemaking.

The US' Arab allies are strong proponents of a two-state solution.

Trump said at a news conference in New York later on Wednesday he would be open to a one-state solution if that was the preference of the parties themselves, a position he had previously stated.

Doubts have mounted over whether Trump's administration can secure what he has called the "ultimate deal" since December, when the US president recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and then moved the US embassy there.

Trump said "it is a dream of mine" to secure an agreement before the end of his term in office in early 2021.

"I don't want to do it in my second term. We'll do other things in my second term," he said. "I think a lot of progress has been made."

'Not enough'

Jerusalem is one of the major issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Both sides claim it as their capital. Trump's move outraged the Palestinians, who have since boycotted US peace efforts.

Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki said Trump's broad commitment to a two-state solution was not enough.

"He has to spell it clearly ... the two states (based on 67 borders), that East Jerusalem is an occupied territory. These (issues) are very important for us ... to really move forward," Maliki said in New York.

Asked if he would engage with the US when it released its peace plan, Maliki said: "Not at all."

Reuters - Xinhua

(China Daily 09/28/2018 page12)