US envoy: US failed to resolve Israel-PA conflict
US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro says Washington will not support PA's unilateral statehood initiative; reiterates administration's commitment to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through negotiations
He added that the US will not support a unilateral initiative made by either party in the conflict and reiterated Washington's commitment to resolving the conflict through negotiation.
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Speaking to students at the Lander Institute, a ultra-Orthodox college in Jerusalem, the ambassador added that it was clear that the US administration did not succeed in solving the conflict in the manner in which it had hoped to do so – i.e. through negotiations – and said that each side in the conflict had failed – so it was everybody's failure.
Shapiro noted that the lack of success was not recent, but one that has been ongoing for over 60 years and yet, the sides continue to make the effort to resolve the conflict.
Discussing the possibility of negotiations, Shapiro said that the US was deeply committed to the resumption of direct talks and opposed unilateral moves, such as the PA's UN bid.
- For full coverage of PA's statehood bid click here
Still, Shapiro also voiced the US' continued support for the establishment of Palestinian institutions that would create a secure environment for both sides and serve as a basis for the resumption of negotiations.
The ambassador responded to a question presented by Ynet with regards to recent statements made by senior Israeli officials, over the possibility of Israel annexing parts of the West Bank and halting the transfer of funds to the PA in response to the Palestinians' UN bid.
The ambassador said that the Israeli government shared a presentation with the donating nations just last week, in which it expressed continued support for money transfers to the Palestinian Authority.
He noted that security cooperation between the Palestinian Authority and Israeli security forces was of the utmost importance and would facilitate a safe environment for both sides, Israelis and Palestinians, adding that it was in everyone's interest to have the cooperation continue.
In closing he reiterated the US' promise to veto the Palestinian request in the UN Security Council if the need arises.
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