UK alarmed by PM’s ‘sabotage’ of two-state solution

Uk Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond tells the UK’s Jewish News that he is concerned by “what looks and feels like a deliberate attempt to sabotage the two-state solution” by Netanyahu.

He also says that he hopes the comments against a Palestinian state could be seen “in the context of a man who is behind in the polls.”

“If he leads the next government, we would expect him to recommit to a constructive engagement around the principle of a two-state solution. We would expect that but the United States would expect that – and that’s an influence no Israel prime minister can afford to ignore,” says Hammond.

“Often it’s those who look least committed to a course of action that are most able to deliver it. If Herzog were to form the next government he would come with an agenda which on the face of it appeared more open to forward movement on a settlement. He might actually find it more difficult to deliver. Netanyahu, if he was really committed to doing something, may find it easier to bring that to fruition.”