Last updated on: 10/22/2015 11:15:44 AM PST
Should There Be an Independent Palestinian State?
Pro (Yes)
Pro
"Yes, I do believe it's possible [two-state solution] and I believe it’s the only resolution that will work... And we have to look for a way to persuade both sides to do more to demonstrate unequivocally their commitment to a two-state solution. And there are steps that both sides can and should make that I would be promoting... There is no alternative and I will continue to work for that because I believe it is the best outcome for both Israelis and Palestinians in the region."
Source: Washington Post, "Clinton on Israel: Two-State Solution 'Best Outcome,'" washingtonpost.com, July 23, 2015
|
|
Not Clearly Pro or Con
"I've been to Israel. I've met with Netanyahu. I've met with Shimon Perez. I've met with Ariel Sharon. I think that it's a real mistake for us to believe that we have solutions to issues that, really, Israel, only Israel, should be and will be dealing with. Israel is an ally. Will remain an ally. And I think it's a mistake for, for us to think that we're going to dictate to them actions when it comes to Palestinian statehood. It's just a mistake on our part. It's not reality. They're the ones that have to deal with this and they will."
Source: GaryJohnsonChannel, "U.S., Israel & Palestinian Statehood - Gary Johnson & Clarke Cooper Q&A Dec. 9th (2011-12-09)," youtube.com, June 16, 2012
Not Clearly Pro or Con
"We need to go back to the drawing board on Israel-Palestine... The US needs a principled foreign policy. We need to stop aligning with our favored country for that reason alone. We need to, generally, stop arming and funding governments committing war crimes and violating human rights...
Most authorities say a two-state solution is no longer possible due to the carving up of the territories by Israel and the occupation... My feeling is we shouldn’t be in the business of telling them how to work it out. We should support the grassroots groups that are advocates of human rights and justice, and help them to figure out the best way to end the conflict and promote a integrated and peaceful coexistence going forward."
Source: Eoin Higgins, "Jill Stein: 'It's Crazy to Spend $6 Trillion on Fighting Terrorism When We Turn Blind Eye to the Saudis,'" mintpress.com, Mar. 8, 2016
Not Clearly Pro or Con
"I'm not exactly thrilled by it [the United States funding the Palestinian Authority]. It's obvious. We have to help people that respect us, that want things to be done and properly done. Not just there (the Palestinian Authority), we're giving money to all sorts of groups and people and countries that take advantage of the United States, so it's something that I'm not thrilled about."
Source: JNS.org, "Donald Trump Says He Is No Apprentice When It Comes to Israel," www.breakingisraelnews.com, July 3, 2015
|
FORMER CANDIDATES
(Candidates who have withdrawn or who no longer meet our criteria appear below in black and white and in alphabetical order.)
Pro (Yes)
Pro
"Israel and America must work together to build a more prosperous and hopeful future for the region. A state for the Palestinian people, side by side with Israel, will be possible only if the Palestinian people are represented by leaders committed to delivering on the promises made at the negotiating table."
Source: Jeb Bush, "On Israel and Iran, President Obama Mistakes Friend and Foe," nationalreview.com, Mar. 25, 2015
Pro
"We need to look at fresh ideas... I don't have any problem with the Palestinians having a state, but does it need to be within the confines of Israeli territory? Is that necessary, or can you sort of slip that area down into Egypt? Right below Israel, they have some amount of territory, and it can be adjacent. They can benefit from the many agricultural advances that were made by Israel, because if you fly over that area, you can easily see the demarcation between Egypt and Israel, in terms of one being desert and one being verdant. Technology could transform that area. So why does it need to be in an area where there's going to be temptation for Hamas to continue firing missiles at relatively close range to Israel?"
Source: David Weigel, "Ben Carson: Arm Ukraine, Expand NATO, Rethink Russia's Position on UN Security Council," www.bloomberg.com, Mar. 20, 2015
Pro
"The peace process ultimately must include a two-state solution... However, I do not support the notion that Jerusalem should be a divided capital."
Source: "Presidential Election Cheat Sheet: Carly Fiorina and Israel," breakingisraelnews.com, Aug. 26, 2015
Pro
"The two-state solution in my view would allow the Palestinians to live in dignity, to have sovereignty over their internal affairs. But it would be constructed in such a fashion that Israel would never have to lose sleep about this new state being able to destroy the State of Israel."
Source: Raphael Ahren, "Sen. Graham Vows He'd Bid to Halt Funding for UN over Palestine State Resolution," www.timesofisrael.com, May 27, 2015
Pro
"I think the relationship between the United States and Israel is strong, will remain strong, and must be strong for our own security... But also, we have to continue to wage peace, and in this context, waging peace means pushing for a two-state solution."
Source: Scott Conroy, "Martin O'Malley Wants U.S. and Israel to Get out of Each Other's Campaigns," huffingtonpost.com, Mar. 26, 2015
Pro
"I believe in a two-state solution. I would hope that the U.S. in a very very difficult situation, where the leadership on both sides is not particularly good, can finally work out a situation where Israel has a right to exist in security, and at the same time the Palestinians have a state of their own...
I have been working on it for the last 50 years. I’m sorry, I don’t have the magic answer. This is a very depressing and difficult issue. This has gone on for 60 bloody years, year after year."
Source: Philip Weiss, "Sanders Is Leftwing on Economic Issues, but Sees Israel as up against ISIS," mondoweiss.net, May 1, 2015
|
Con (No)
Con
“I realize that for the past several years there has been both on the democratic and republic side the notion that we will be able to achieve middle east peace by something called the two-state solution. I wanna be on record, and I know that this would not even be agreeable to some of you, because there are many republicans who think that the two-state solution is in fact a solution. I consider it no solution whatsoever. There cannot be two states polling for the same piece of real estate especially when one of those states does not believe the other one even has a right to exist much less exist peacefully.
…[Y]ou can't have two governments wanting to own the same piece of real estate, so why don't we leave it in the hands of the government to whom it was originally given and why don't we leave it into the hands of those who will protect not only the antiquities but respect the religions, not only of the Jews, but also of the Muslims, and of the Christians.”
Source: C-Span, "Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee at the Republican Jewish Coalition Presidential Forum," www.c-span.org, Dec. 3, 2015
|
None Found
No position found as of Oct. 26, 2015
Not Clearly Pro or Con
"The question of whether peace is ultimately achieved through a one-state solution or a two-state solution is a question for Israel, and America shouldn't dictate the answers...
If Israel were on its own initiative to negotiate a two-state solution, every nation on earth would recognize those two states. There would not be a disagreement if it were negotiated by the parties in question. What it should not be is imposed from outside."
Source: Jamie Weinstein, "The Cruz Doctrine: Ted Cruz Opens up about His Foreign Policy Worldview," dailycaller.com, Apr. 28, 2015
None Found
No position found as of Sep. 25, 2015
Not Clearly Pro or Con
"I didn't come [to Israel], and am not going away thinking I know the grand solution — one state, two states. Really, ultimately, those are your decisions. Those are not my decisions to make and America shouldn’t dictate them to you...
If you ask me about whether or not you can expand a Jewish neighborhood in Jerusalem, I would tell you it’s none of my business. I think you're right to be offended by US politicians telling you where you can build and where you can't...
Your best chance for more peace is more trade, more prosperity for Palestinians."
Source: Raphael Ahren, "Tea Party Leader: Israel's Policies Are Not Our Business," timesofisrael.com, Jan. 13, 2013
Not Clearly Pro or Con
"The [Israeli] Prime Minister [Netanyahu] made a statement about how a two-state solution isn't possible, given the current circumstances. And what does the White House do? They jump up and say, well, that means we have to reconsider. We may have to go to the United Nations Security Council now and support a resolution. That means not use our veto authority to stop a resolution that calls on Israel to create a Palestinian state with 1967 borders...
In 2000 at camp David, Israel offered the Palestinian Authority nearly all of the West Bank, eastern Jerusalem and Gaza, and the Palestinians said no...
In 2008, Israel offered again the Palestinian Authority, nearly all of the West Bank, nearly all of Judea and Samaria and eastern Jerusalem. The Palestinian Authority said no...
I think Netanyahu is right. The conditions do not exist for a peace deal with people who teach their children that killing Jews is a glorious thing. The conditions for peace do not exist with a people, with a government, I should say, not a people. The people are victims of this government, of the Palestinian Authority, and not to mention Hamas, who teach people that killing Jews is a glorious thing, that there is no such thing as a Jewish people, that any methods of destroying them is valid, that pay them salaries and benefits."
Source: Marco Rubio, "Rubio: Obama Administration's Treatment of Israel Is a 'Historic and Tragic Mistake,'" rubio.senate.gov, Mar. 19, 2015
|
|
|
RECOMMENDED to you...
|
|
1
|
|
2
|
|
3
|
|
4
|
|
5
|
|
6
|
|
7
|
|
8
|
|
9
|
|
10
|
|
11
|
|
12
|
|
|
|
CITE THIS PAGE
Who is the author?
|
|
SHARE
|
|
