On Friday, 21 May, US President Joe Biden said that there is no shift in his commitment towards the security of Israel and that a two-state solution –Palestine alongside Israel – is the “only answer” to mitigate the conflict.
On whether there has been a shift in policy on the Israel-Palestine conflict, he said, “There is no shift in my commitment to the security of Israel. Period. No shift, not at all. But I'll tell you where the shift is. We still need a two-state solution. It is the only answer,” ANI reported.
He also assured to take efforts in rebuilding Gaza and said that he had asked the Israelis to “stop inter-communal fighting” in Jerusalem, an AFP report mentioned.
Further, he said that “there will be no peace” until everyone in the region “unequivocally” accepted Israel’s existence.
Earlier, former US President Donald Trump’s advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner had laid down a plan for a two-state solution, but it was visualised as giving limited sovereignty to Palestine with Israel controlling the security over that state. It was then criticised for being pro-Israelis and was rejected by Palestinians.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Thursday, 21 May, announced a ceasefire after an unsparing 11-day military operation in Palestine’s Gaza Strip, which has taken 232 Palestinian lives, including 65 children, as per the data provided by Gaza’s health ministry.
Since 10 May, Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes in Gaza, targeting the militant group Hamas' infrastructure, including its extensive tunnel network.
Palestinian armed groups, including the Hamas have fired around 4,000 rockets at Israeli cities, most of which were intercepted by the sophisticated Israeli army. Palestine does not have an organised army or a navy.
(With inputs from AFP, ANI)
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