Radio Sputnik discusses the the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the founding Co-Chairman of the Israel Palestine Center for Research and Information and a columnist for The Jerusalem Post – Gershon Baskin.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has reiterated that Washington is feeling – quote – “overwhelming frustration” with the Israeli government. In a speech to the J Street advocacy group on Monday, Biden stressed that the government of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu was leading the country in the wrong direction in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Biden’s recent statements comes as tensions between Washington and Jerusalem continue to rise. Earlier, the White House has criticized Netanyahu’s recent statement that the Golan Heights will – quote – “forever remain part of the Israeli sovereignty”. Addressing the issue on Monday, U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said Washington does not consider the territory a part of Israel. The Golan Heights were part of Syria, until Israel seized the territory during the Six-Day War in 1967. The move has never been recognized by the international community, which demanded the return of the area to Damascus.
