Powell: U.S. opposes one state solution

[Gimel]

United States Secretary of States Colin Powell said Thursday that he opposes a one state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and that the United States remains committed to the two state solution, in which an independent Palestinian state will border Israel.

Powell, speaking at a State Department press conference, expressed disappointment at the lack of progress in talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia said earlier on Thursday that Palestinians would pursue a bi-national state and demand the same rights as Israelis if Israel carried out its threat to absorb chunks of the West Bank.

Asked if Qureia's one-state idea was viable, Powell said: "No. We're committed to a two-state solution. I believe that's the only solution that will work: a state for the Palestinian people called Palestine and a Jewish state, state of Israel."


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[Feanorcurufinwe]

1. Why not have a democratic country where everyone has equal rights?

What a radical idea.

Qureia said Sharon's unilateralism, including a vast barrier Israel is building in the West Bank, could prompt Palestinians to abandon efforts for a two-state solution to the conflict.

"This is an apartheid solution to put the Palestinians in cantons. Who can accept this?" he said in an interview in his office in the West Bank town of Abu Dis near Jerusalem.

"We will go for a one-state solution...There's no other solution. We will not hesitate to defend the rights of our people when we feel the very serious intention (of Israel) to destroy these rights."

But Palestinian officials say that calling for a bi-national state would be used only as a last resort since it would mean dropping longstanding aspirations for a state of their own.

Showing maps of the barrier, Qureia said it was an attempt to "put Palestinians like chickens in cages."

"The wall is to unilaterally mark the borders, this is the intention behind the wall ... It will kill the road map and kill the two-state vision," he said.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/381076.html

[Muddleoftheroad]

4. Why not TWO democratic states, not one?

[Resistance]

2. Oh sure, Powell is committed alright

Committed to prolonging violence and terrorism, that is. What a jerk. If the U.S. ever really wanted a two-state solution, they'd have seen it through a long time ago.

[number6]

3. first thing they should have been is fair and balanced

and I don't mean like faux nooze..
the U.S. is one sided ...