Israels ruling party and the governing coalition are staunchly opposed to a two-state solution and would block the creation of a Palestinian state if such a proposal ever came to a vote, Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon said, contradicting statements by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior cabinet members who say Jerusalem is committed to the principle of two states for two peoples.
Danons statements, made Wednesday to The Times of Israel in his first major interview with an Israeli news outlet since he became deputy minister, underline the low likelihood of the current government being able to sign a peace agreement with the Palestinians.
Look at the government: there was never a government discussion, resolution or vote about the two-state solution, Danon said. If you will bring it to a vote in the government nobody will bring it to a vote, its not smart to do it but if you bring it to a vote, you will see the majority of Likud ministers, along with the Jewish Home [party], will be against it.
Danon said Netanyahu calls for peace talks despite his governments opposition because he knows Israel will not arrive at an agreement with the Palestinians in the near future. (* This sentence was reworded for accuracy on June 9. See note at end of article.)
Today were not fighting it [Netanyahus declared goal of a Palestinian state], but if there will be a move to promote a two-state solution, you will see forces blocking it within the party and the government, Danon said.
If theres a move to promote a two-state solution, forces will block it within the party and the government
The deputy minister said there is no majority for a two-state solution among the 31 lawmakers that make up the Likud-Yisrael Beytenu Knesset faction. The Likud partys central committee, about 10 years ago, passed a motion against the creation of a Palestinian state, Danon said, adding that legally the party was opposed to the concept of two states for two people.