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Israel’s FM: ‘This is not the time to carry out two-state solution’

July 13, 2021 at 10:20 am

Israel’s foreign minister Yair Lapid at the Knesset in Jerusalem on 31 May 2021 [DEBBIE HILL/POOL/AFP/Getty Images]

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid stated on Monday that this is not the time to carry out the two-state solution, stressing that Israel should do whatever is needed to “defend itself”.

These remarks came as he addressed the European Union (EU) Foreign Affairs Council meeting, attended by 26 EU foreign ministers with Lapid as the main guest.

“It is no secret that I support a two-state solution,” he said, but added: “Unfortunately, there is no current plan for this.”

He continued: “We cannot be asked to take part in the building of another threat to our lives,” referring to building the State of Palestine.

READ: Palestinian Authority forms negotiation team to deal with new Israel gov’t

According to Ynet News, Lapid reiterated: “There is one thing we all need to remember. A future Palestinian state must be a democracy that seeks peace with Israel.”

This came only one day after his meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, in Brussels, where he reiterated to Shoukry the importance of reactivating the stalled peace talks with the Palestinians.