TEL AVIV, The US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides said on Tuesday that Israeli settlement construction is a “stupid thing” that impedes the achievement of a two-state solution.
Speaking at an online event hosted by Americans for Peace Now, Nides said that the Palestinians cannot be “bought off” with plans requiring them to forgo political sovereignty.
“We cannot do stupid things that impede us for a two-state solution… What I mean is we cannot have the Israelis doing settlement growth in east Jerusalem or the West Bank. I’m a bit of a nag on this, including the idea of settlement growth, which infuriates me when they do things that just infuriate the situation in east Jerusalem and the West Bank.”
He added, “I went full board on E1,” he said in reference to an Israeli settlement plan in the occupied West Bank. “It is a very important area which if [built] could cut off any possibility of a capital for the Palestinians.”
Meanwhile, Nides said that he “would be lying” if he said that it was possible to avert “every single house that is built. I cannot stop everything, just so we are clear.”
Source: Palestine News & Info Agency