The Israeli government must move toward a two-state solution if it wants the help of Arab partners in the region with lasting security, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a news conference in Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
In some of his most direct comments on the matter, Blinken noted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must rein in the far-right tendencies of his government to achieve any progress in the future.
"Israel must stop taking steps that undercut Palestinians ability to govern themselves effectively. Extremists settler violence carried out with impunity, settlement expansion, demolitions, evictions all make it harder – not easier – for Israel to achieve lasting peace and security," he said.
"Israel must be a partner to Palestinian leaders who are willing to lead their people are living side by side in peace with Israel as neighbors," Blinken added.
The top US diplomat met with Netanyahu following meetings with leaders in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Jordan.
"As I told the prime minister, every partner that I met on this trip said that they're ready to support a lasting solution that ends the long-running cycle of violence and ensures Israel's security. But they underscored that this can only come through a regional approach that includes a pathway to a Palestinian state," Blinken said.
"If Israel wants its Arab neighbors to make the tough decisions necessary to help ensures lasting security, Israeli leaders will have to make hard decisions themselves," he said.