Trump Shares His Preference: 'I Like the 2-State Solution'

President wades into Middle East politics at the UN
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Sep 26, 2018 10:49 AM CDT
Trump Shares His Preference: 'I Like the 2-State Solution'
President Trump speaks during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday at UN Headquarters.   (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Trump waded into thorny Middle East politics while at the United Nations on Wednesday, endorsing the two-state solution to bring an end to the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, while poised to denounce the dangers posed by Iran. Trump, a day after being greeted with laughter by world leaders still uncertain how to manage his "America First" ideology, explicitly backed Israel, leaned in on the importance of moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem, and suggested that he saw progress on the horizon for long-delayed hopes for Middle East peace, reports the AP. "I like [the] two-state solution," Trump said in his most clear endorsement of the plan. "That's what I think works best."

Meeting with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump indicated that moving the embassy was "a big chip" the US delivered to the Israelis. "I took probably the biggest chip off the table. And so obviously they have to start, you know, we have to make a fair deal. We have to do something. Deals have to be good for both parties." Trump said he believed that the embassy "was always the primary ingredient as to why deals couldn't get done. Now that's off the table," he added. "Now that will also mean that Israel will have to do something that is good for the other side." The two-state "solution" is mostly aspirational. Ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinians over the division of territory, borders, and governance has spawned violence going back years and long stymied Mideast peace efforts.

(More President Trump stories.)

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