Israeli settlements make creation of Palestine 'harder': Cameron

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron addressed concerns about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, highlighting the detrimental impact of Israel's settlements on the feasibility of a Palestinian state.

Speaking at a session of the House of Lords' International Relations and Defense Committee, Cameron emphasized how Israel's illegal settlements in the West Bank were complicating efforts to establish a Palestinian state.

'It's got harder, but it's not impossible'

Cameron acknowledged the challenges posed by settlement-building, stating, "It was getting harder because of the settlement-building by Israel in the West Bank, so technically creating the Palestinian state has got harder and we have to think about that."

He referenced a seven-year-old report from the committee, which warned that the two-state solution could become unattainable if settlement construction continued unchecked.

Despite the difficulties, Cameron remained hopeful, remarking, "It's got harder, but it's not impossible." He stressed that recognition alone would not suffice for statehood, emphasizing the need for a functioning government and governance structures.

'No long-term peace in Middle East without solution to Palestinian question'

Cameron also underscored the crucial role of resolving the Palestinian question for achieving long-term peace and stability in the Middle East. 

"There is no long-term peace and security instability in the Middle East without a solution to the Palestinian question," Cameron said. "So if you look at, for instance, what the Saudis have tried to do with this normalization deal with Israel, that's obviously a huge step for Saudi Arabia, a big step for Israel, but part of it would be the creation of a Palestinian state and the horizon towards that basis."

Source: Newsroom