Lalit Shastri

US Administration is obviously keeping its fingers crossed while the world waits for the outcome of the Israeli election results that would come in tomorrow but at the same time it is not silent when it comes to reasserting that “the only way to have peace and stability in the region is for there to be a two-state solution”. Significantly the “two State solution” remark was made by the US Department of State Spokesperson Jen Psaki at her daily press briefing Monday. She was responding to a pointed query on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comment on the eve of elections that if he is reelected, he will not allow there to become a Palestinian state. The journalist asking the question specifically wanted to know what does the US Administration make of this comment?

In contrast with Netanyahu’s belligerent posture especially his saber rattling vis-a-vis the Middle-East Gaza conflict and opposition to any Nuclear deal or agreement between the US and Iran to prevent the latter from acquiring or building a nuclear weapon, the Israel opposition is offering support for moves that could ignite peace talks if elected. Political analysts, keeping a close eye on Israeli elections, have noted how Netanyahu’s foreign policies have come under heated debate and the centrist parties in Israel are drawing the voters’ attention towards social inequalities and the challenges confronting the nation as a consequence. Centre-Left Zionist Union led by Tzipi Livni and Isaac Herzog is also being watched closely as the rightist groups are looking forward to the possibility of a fractured mandate and have started working out the strategy to gain power in Israel by cementing a coalition of smaller parties.