In Controversial UN Speech, Israeli PM Lapid Calls for Two-State Solution

For the first time in more than a decade, an Israeli prime minister has re-committed to a two-state solution with the Palestinians. But his comments didn’t sit well with many Israelis.

Lapid told the UN General assembly that Israel’s economic and military strength enables it to strive for peace with the Arab world, including the Palestinians.

“An agreement with the Palestinians, based on the two states for two peoples, is the right thing for Israel's security, for Israel's economy and for the future of our children,” he said.

Lapid sees peace not as a compromise or weakness but as a courageous decision. Israel, he says, has one condition: “that a future Palestinian state will be a peaceful one; that it will not become another terror base from which to threaten the well-being and the very existence of Israel.”

His speech drew fire, especially from Benjamin Netanyahu, former prime minister and opposition leader.

Netanyahu tweeted, “After the right-wing government led by me removed the Palestinian state from the world agenda, after we brought four historic peace agreements with Arab countries that bypassed the Palestinian veto, Lapid is bringing the Palestinians back to the forefront of the world stage and putting Israel right into the Palestinian hole.”