Former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman warned in congressional testimony last night that establishing a Palestinian state would undermine and potentially destroy the Abraham Accords, calling the discussion 'completely detached from reality on the ground.' He said any future Israeli government would oppose Palestinian statehood, and that a Palestinian state would generate further conflict and violence, according to Ariel Kahana (Israel Hayom).
Former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, in testimony before a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Wednesday night, argued that the push for a Palestinian state is 'completely detached from reality on the ground' and would destroy the Abraham Accords rather than advance them. Friedman, who served as ambassador under President Trump and was a key architect of the accords, stated that all future partners to the Abraham Accords understand this reality, as do middle-class Palestinians living in Judea and Samaria. 'They don't want to be ruled by oppressive, violent, and corrupt leaders,' he said. 'A Palestinian state will not promote the Abraham Accords; it will destroy them. It will generate further conflicts and violence in the region.' Friedman added that any Israeli government, regardless of its composition, would oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The Zioneer previously reported on July 20 that Friedman had warned in earlier congressional testimony that Palestinian statehood would 'fatally undermine' normalization talks. In his latest remarks, Friedman was more emphatic, linking the threat directly to the sustainability of the Abraham Accords. He also noted that the Abraham Accords' future partners comprehend the disconnect between Washington's diplomatic discourse and the realities on the ground in the West Bank.
The testimony comes amid renewed international pressure for a two-state solution following the Gaza war, and as the Biden administration has signaled support for Palestinian statehood as part of a broader regional normalization framework. Friedman's blunt assessment underscores the deep divide between Israeli and American political circles on the issue, and suggests that the Abraham Accords may face internal strain if the U.S. pushes for a Palestinian state without the consent of Israel and its Arab partners.
No immediate response from the State Department or the White House has been reported.
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