Sir, – For many years now, the favoured solution to the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been the two-state solution.
In recent years, this has been seriously undermined by the continued expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied territories.
One of Barack Obama’s final actions was to abstain on the UN Security Council resolution condemning these settlements, finally showing US leadership on the issue.
How things have changed in a matter of months.
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The two state-solution was given a further body blow when Donald Trump issued his disrespectful and patronising remarks regarding his preferred solution, ie that he has none.
Instead of taking leadership on the issue and aligning with the majority of world leaders in seeking a path to a viable Palestinian state, Mr Trump chose to trivialise the issue and wash his hands of any responsibility, much to the delight of his new friend “Bibi”.
He issued a mild, non-committal, rebuke on settlement expansion, but Mr Netanyahu can now proceed with his plan to retrospectively legalise existing settlements safe in the knowledge that the US administration will not stand in his way.
Mr Trump has demonstrated once again that he is not fit to be anywhere near a position of public office. – Yours, etc,
BARRY WALSH,
Blackrock,
Cork.