Secretary of State John Kerry: Two-state solution in ‘serious jeopardy’

With less than a month left in office, Secretary of State John Kerry issued a stern rebuke Wednesday over Israeli settlements and warned that the two-state solution to the enduring conflict with Palestinians is at risk.

Kerry defended the United States’ decision last week to abstain from a vote on — and not veto — a UN resolution condemning Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as one aimed at “preserving the two-state solution,” which he called “the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.”

“I am also here to share my conviction that there is still a way forward if the responsible parties are willing to act,” Kerry said, opening his speech.

But he underscored his optimism with a warning: “Despite our best efforts over the years, the two-state solution is now in serious jeopardy.”

he back-and-forth was a remarkable moment in US-Israeli relations. Kerry and Netanyahu were unusually candid in articulating the perceived shortcomings of the other side. The dueling speeches essentially offered both countries the opportunity to unleash nearly eight years of tension that has built up under the Obama administration. And it played out just over three weeks before Trump takes office with a pledge to work more closely with Netanyahu.

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