Former US House Speaker says Netanyahu obstacle to 2-state solution; urges his resignation

WASHINGTON

Former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been an obstacle to a two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Pelosi made the remarks in an interview with the Irish television channel, RTÉ’s Six One News, during a visit Monday to Ireland.

"We recognize Israel's right to protect itself. We reject the policy and practice of Netanyahu. Terrible. What could be worse than what he has done in response?" said Pelosi.

The Democrat representative from the state of California said the prime minister has been an obstacle in the region for years and should resign.

"I don’t know whether he’s afraid of peace, incapable of peace, or just doesn’t want peace. But he has been an obstacle to the two-state solution," said Pelosi.

The US continues to strongly support a two-state solution, amid an Israeli military onslaught against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Last month, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urged new elections in Israel to replace Netanyahu.

Pelosi's remarks after the House passed foreign aid bills Saturday that allocates $60.8 billion for Ukraine, $26.4 billion for Israel and $8 billion for Indo-Pacific allies to counter China.

Israel has waged a brutal military offensive on Palestinian territory since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, which killed less than 1,200 people.

Nearly 34,200 Palestinians have since been killed and more than 77,000 injured amid mass destruction and severe shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war, now in day 200, has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in January issued an interim ruling that ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.