U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley offered more clarity on the Trump administration’s hopes for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, a day after the president suggested he wasn’t committed to a two-state solution.
The president is “absolutely” supportive of to a two-state solution, Haley said Thursday. But she also said the Trump administration is thinking “out of the box as well.”
At a White House press conference on Wednesday with Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said, “I’m looking at two-state and one-state, and I like the one that both parties like.”
Past U.S. policy, like that of President Obama’s, has supported a separate Palestinian state.
“I’m very happy with the one that both parties like … I can live with either one,” Trump added. “I thought for a while the two-state looked like it may be the easier of the two, but honestly, if Bibi and if the Palestinians — if Israel and the Palestinians are happy, I’m happy with the one they like the best,” Trump added, using a nickname for Netanyahu.
Trump also asked Israel to scale back settlement building in Palestinian territories, which are a point of contention in the peace process.
Haley assured reporters Thursday that the Trump administration opposes a U.N. resolution condemning Israel for its settlements, which the Obama administration allowed to pass in its final weeks.
She condemned the U.N. for having an “anti-Israel bias” and blamed the international body for disrupting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Editor’s note: This article has been edited to clarify that Ambassador Nikki Haley said the president is supportive, not committed, a two-state solution.
