President Joe Biden on Wednesday urged world leaders to collaborate in pursuit of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. His statement comes at a crucial juncture as Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas reshapes the region and raises questions about the future of Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip. It marks a sharp turn for Biden, who had initially refrained from initiating U.S.-mediated negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians aimed at achieving a two-state solution since taking office. Instead, his administration had adopted a strategy focused on managing the conflict by supporting security cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. Highlighting the gravity of the situation, President Biden emphasized that there is no possibility of returning to the “status quo” that existed prior to Hamas’s unprecedented attacks on Israel, which began on Simchas Torah. In his remarks preceding a press conference with Australia’s Prime Minister at the White House, President Biden stated, “That means ensuring Hamas can no longer terrorize Israel and use Palestinian civilians as human shields.” He went on to underscore the need for a comprehensive vision for the region beyond the current crisis, emphasizing that all parties, including Israelis, Palestinians, regional partners, and global leaders, must make a concentrated effort to pave the way for peace. While Israel has pledged to eliminate Hamas, the question of who will govern the Gaza Strip, home to over 2 million Palestinians, remains unanswered. In 2007, Hamas took full control of the Strip after forcibly ousting the Palestinian Authority in a violent coup. Biden disclosed that he’s had discussions with leaders from Jordan, Egypt, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, all aimed at ensuring a better future in the region. President Biden speculated that Hamas launched its attacks, which may have been in the planning stages for months or even years, to disrupt the progress made toward normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia. He acknowledged that his instinct led him to believe that this was a significant factor behind the timing of Hamas’s attacks. “I’m convinced one of the reasons Hamas attacked when they did—I have no proof of this, just my instinct tells me—is because of the progress we’re making towards regional integration for Israel, and regional integration overall, and we can’t leave that work behind,” President Biden stated. Building on the Trump-era Abraham Accords, which fostered improved relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, President Biden emphasized the importance of advancing regional integration while ensuring that the aspirations of the Palestinian people are considered as part of this broader future. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)