Al-anwar Newspaper English news in Australia
The White House Monday bluntly warned Israel that its occupation of Palestinian territories must end, dismissing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s efforts to take back controversial campaign pledges.
In unusually tough language that underscores the fracture in relations between Washington and Tel Aviv, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough said “an occupation that has lasted for almost 50 years must end.”
McDonough criticized Netanyahu’s pre-election pledge to block the creation of a Palestinian state – the supposed end goal of decades of fruitless peace talks – and he questioned Netanyahu’s efforts to undo the damage.
“We cannot simply pretend that those comments were never made, or that they don’t raise questions about the prime minister’s commitment to achieving peace through direct negotiations,” he said.
“The Palestinian people must have the right to live in and govern themselves in their own sovereign state,” he added.
McDonough is one of President Barack Obama’s closest advisers, and his speech to the liberal pro-Israel lobby group J Street – where he was dispatched by the president – was followed closely in Washington.
Netanyahu’s pledge deepened a long-running disagreement with Obama but his top aide said the row was not based on “personal pique.”
“America’s commitment to a two-state solution is fundamental to U.S. foreign policy,” McDonough said.
Netanyahu Monday apologized for election day comments claiming that Arabs were voting in “droves,” comments which also drew criticism from the U.S.
He has also tried to downplay his pledge to oppose a two-state solution, insisting Israel’s policy has not changed.
