UK Defence Secretary: Netanyahu’s refusal to back Palestinian state is ‘very disappointing’

The UK Defence Secretary has said it is “very disappointing” that the Israeli prime minister continues to reject the creation of a Palestinian state, according to the Telegraph. 

Grant Shapps said it was regrettable to see Benjamin Netanyahu double down on his objection to the proposal, stressing the UK “certainly remains wedded” to the idea as there “isn’t another obvious way out of this”.

It comes after the Israeli leader said he dismissed US president Joe Biden’s call for a two-state solution, declaring that he reserves the right to say “no to our friends”.

Addressing the comments on Sunday, Mr Shapps said it was “disappointing” to hear Mr Netanyahu reject the idea, as Palestinians “deserve a sovereign state”.

“I think it’s very disappointing that Benjamin Netanyahu has said that. It’s not in some sense a surprise - he’s spent his entire political career against a two-state solution,” he told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg.

“But the point is, which other route is there to seriously resolve this? Palestinians deserve a sovereign state, Israel deserves to have the full ability to defend itself, its own security, in other words. And unless you pursue a two-state solution, I really don’t see that there is another solution.”