The alternate official spokesman for the US State Department, Vedant Patel, said yesterday, Thursday, commenting on the Israeli Knesset’s decision by a large majority not to allow the establishment of a Palestinian school, that the administration of US President Joe Biden is not concerned with the decisions taken by the Israeli Knesset, and does not interfere in its affairs, but it adheres to its direction. Its view, and the international view, is that the only way to achieve peace in the Middle East is through the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Patel said in his response to the question of the Al-Quds.com correspondent regarding the US administration’s position on the Knesset’s decision on Wednesday, the Knesset’s vote (against the establishment of a Palestinian state at all), and whether the Knesset’s decision will force the administration to take a different approach in its dealings with Israel, “I will let the Israeli officials They talk to their legislature and the actions they take, but the United States is committed to promoting lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”

The spokesman added, "We believe that the practical path to achieving this is the two-state solution, a Palestinian state that stands side by side with Israel. We believe that this is the only way to advance lasting peace, and it is also something that we believe is conducive to Israel's security. To achieve this vision, Israel must “Be a partner of the Palestinian people and Palestinian leaders, and as we said before, we will continue to engage the Israeli leadership at the highest levels to make this clear.”

In his response to the Al-Quds correspondent’s follow-up on whether the United States is willing or able to take some steps to achieve its position in support of the establishment of a Palestinian state, “You and I are not experts in the Knesset law, its legislation, and the things and products that come out of the Knesset, so I will leave this analysis to others. What I can say is The US approach to the two-state solution has not changed, so our priorities have not changed.”

“I think it can be safely implied that legislation that conflicts with the two-state solution is not something that we would be thrilled about,” Patel added, stressing that “the position of the United States will have an impact on the entire process, and we will continue to address it directly with Israeli leaders. We believe that “This is the most direct, credible and real path forward for Israel’s security, to break the region out of the endless cycle of violence and that is why we have continued to call for the two-state solution to be the cornerstone of every iteration and conversation we have when we talk about the future of this region and the future of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples.”

He explained, "Our long-term position on the two-state solution is quite clear, and we believe it remains the only way to promote lasting peace. This is something we have made clear to Israeli officials through its government, and it is something we will continue to make clear."

The Israeli Knesset voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to reject the establishment of a Palestinian state, reflecting the deep decline in support for the two-state solution in Israel.

Of the 120 members of the Legislative Council, 68 voted in favor of the resolution, which says that the Palestinian state “will pose an existential threat to the State of Israel.” Nine members opposed it, while others abstained from voting.

The vote came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to travel to the United States to address a joint session of Congress and meet with President Joe Biden, who has been vocal in pushing for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The spokesman for the United Nations Secretary-General announced on Thursday that António Guterres feels “very disappointed” after the Israeli Knesset adopted a resolution rejecting “the establishment of a Palestinian state.”

"The two-state solution cannot be rejected by holding a vote. The Secretary-General is very disappointed with the Knesset's decision," spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters, reiterating that the two-state solution is "the only reliable path to lasting peace."

On Wednesday night, the Israeli Parliament adopted a resolution rejecting “the establishment of a Palestinian state,” a few days before a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington.

This symbolic decision, which was proposed by a representative from the opposition right, was supported by 68 representatives from the ruling coalition and the opposition, while nine representatives opposed it.

The resolution stated that “the Knesset strongly rejects the establishment of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River,” that is, in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, or in the Gaza Strip, which has been devastated by an ongoing war between Israel and Hamas since October 7, when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel. .

The resolution added that "the establishment of a Palestinian state in the heart of the Land of Israel will constitute an existential threat to the State of Israel and its citizens, and will lead to the extension of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and destabilize the region."