Robert Serry
Robert SerryIsrael news photo: Yoni Kempinski

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry delivered a lecture Tuesday at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, under the title – "Is the Two-State Solution Fading?"

Serry said he believes that the 'two state solution' may be disappearing from view, but that the international community seems to have no alternative to that solution. Serry reminded the audience that the UN had adopted a partition plan for 'Palestine' in 1947, and that Israel's Declaration of Independence had cited that resolution, but he did not mention the fact that the Arabs rejected the partition and invaded Israel. The wars waged by the Arabs in the 20 years after they rejected the partiton plan resulted in the Jews' liberation of large portions of the Land of Israel.

Serry claimed to be evenhanded in his approach to the conflict, but participants got the impression that he had many more demands for Israel than for the Arabs. Regarding Jerusalem, he stated that the UN had a specific agenda on the subject: Jerusalem should be the capital of two states.

Serry added that Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria can stay, if they wish, in the future Palestinian state. Regarding abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, the UN Coordinator said he opposed the measures carried out by Israel to pressure Hamas.