Herzog joins top Israeli officials to reject two-state deal in snub to US

Israel's president has joined the ranks of high-ranking Israeli officials to speak out against a two-state solution after Israel's war on Gaza ends, in a snub to US which has called for resumption in talks aimed at ending Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands and establishing a Palestinian state under the leadership of the Palestinian Authority that Israel and others will recognise.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday, Isaac Herzog said it is not the time to be talking about establishing an independent state.

Referring to Hamas' blitz on October 7th, "What I want to urge is against just saying two-state solution. Why? Because there is an emotional chapter here that must be dealt with. My nation is bereaving. My nation is in trauma," said Herzog.

"In order to get back to the idea of dividing the land, of negotiating peace or talking to the Palestinians, etc., one has to deal first and foremost with the emotional trauma that we are going through and the need and demand for full sense of security for all people," he said.

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas says its October 7 blitz on Israel that surprised its arch-enemy was orchestrated in response to Israeli attacks on Al Aqsa Mosque, illegal settler violence in occupied West Bank and to put Palestine question "back on the table."

In an assault of startling breadth, Hamas gunmen rolled into as many as 22 locations outside Gaza, including illegal settlements as far as 24 kilometres from the Gaza fence. In some places they are said to have gunned down many soldiers as Israel's military scrambled to muster a response.

And upon return to Gaza, they also took along some 240 hostages, including Israeli military personnel and civilians. Dozens of the captives were later exchanged for Palestinians incarcerating in Israeli dungeons.

Since then, Israel has heavily bombarded Gaza from air, land and sea, killing nearly 20,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women, wounding more than 50,000 and displacing nearly two million people in the tiny coastal enclave.

US pushing for a timetable from Israel

Herzog spoke a day before a meeting with the White House's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan.

Herzog, whose position is largely ceremonial, is a former leader of Israel's Labor Party, which advocates a two-state solution with the Palestinians.

Israeli leaders are however speaking out against attempts to restart peace talks after the war and have ruled out any role for the internationally recognised Palestinian Authority.

With the US pushing for a timetable from Israel, Herzog predicted the Israeli invasion in hard-hit northern Gaza could wrap up within weeks. But he declined to say when the war would end.

Israel has rejected international calls for a ceasefire, saying it will press ahead until it dismantles Hamas' military and political capabilities.

"I think one can see that in the northern part of Gaza, one can see the horizon," Herzog said. "We can see the end of that campaign, not far away in the next few weeks."

He added that the end of the campaign in the south would only come when Hamas was "completely eradicated."

Hamas says any plan for post-war besieged Gaza that does not involve the Palestinian resistant group is just a "delusion".

Herzog also spoke in favour of an emerging US-led coalition to protect the Red Sea from the Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

In the face of Israeli brutality, they have carried out a series of retaliatory attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and also launched drones and missiles at Israel. In recent days, they have threatened to attack any vessel they believe is either going to or coming from Israel.

The coalition, set to be formally announced next week, is composed of US and European allies, and aims to protect international shipping from the Houthi attacks. Israel will not be contributing its own ships to the coalition, Israeli officials told The Associated Press, preferring to allow the international community to target the issue and focus on the war in Gaza.

"I demand and I call upon all nations who understand this to join the coalition, which is led by the United States of America, to fight against the Houthis and make it clear that this is unacceptable and won't be repeated again," said Herzog.

Iran has warned against the presence of such a coalition in Red Sea.