• 9 months ago
Grant Shapps says comments by Benjamin Netanyahu stating there can be no two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians are "disappointing" but not surprising. The defence secretary reiterates the UK position saying: "We believe that Palestinians deserve a state with proper sovereignty". Report by Blairm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Transcript
00:00 I think it's disappointing. Having said that, we know that Netanyahu has been saying this all of
00:05 his political career, so it's not new. But from the United Kingdom's point of view, we believe
00:11 that the Palestinians deserve a state with proper sovereignty, and we think that's essential,
00:18 and that Israel deserves the full security of not having a neighbor with elements like Hamas
00:23 trying to attack it. So there is only a two-state solution as the final outcome to this, and Britain
00:31 stands absolutely by that with, I have to say, most of the rest of the world. The thing to
00:35 understand about Israel, as opposed to the specific person who's Prime Minister right now,
00:39 is it is a) a democracy, but b) a very vibrant one, wherein that government, you've got people
00:45 of all different shades of opinion, and so there will be, you know, disagreement within their
00:52 system on this. But the United Kingdom's absolutely clear a two-state solution is the way forward.
00:57 Well, clearly, we believe in a two-state solution. The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu,
01:04 doesn't, and never has done. So, you know, we have a difference of opinion on
01:08 the way that this needs to be resolved.

Recommended