New initiatives to support Palestinian statehood, while reflecting growing international attention, are “perpetuating the illusion” that a two-state solution can resolve the conflict with Israel, argues former US diplomat Rob Malley.

Malley was a leading United States negotiator across the Middle East for decades, and was on the cusp of a new Iran-US deal in 2023 when he was suspended by then-US President Joe Biden. Malley’s new book, Tomorrow is Yesterday, details the damage done by decades of US involvement in Middle East peacemaking.

Malley tells host Steve Clemons that Israel can't achieve normalcy or “absolute security” while sidestepping the issue of justice for the Palestinians.

A weekly take on US politics and policies and how they affect the world.

The Bottom Line

Palestinian statehood: Two-state solution or two-state delusion? | The Bottom Line

US diplomacy under President Donald Trump has a bigger chance of success because it focuses on transactional deals that “translate into improvements of people’s lives” instead of “theories about democracy, freedom and human rights”, argues Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

Kagame, who has led Rwanda for more than 30 years, tells host Steve Clemons that he’s “never seen the level of focus, attention, energy and pressure” that the US president brought to the conflict between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, which led to the signing of a tentative deal between the two sides in Washington on December 4.

Kagame: ‘Never seen this much attention’ to ending Africa war

United States President Donald Trump insists he’s “created the greatest economy in the history of our country”, but to middle-class and poor Americans, argues economist Peter Atwater, the president sounds out of touch.

Atwater tells host Steve Clemons that the economy has taken on a “K” shape, where the arrow pointing up indicates more wealth for the already rich, while the rest are pushed downward.

Zohran Mamdani’s election as mayor of New York City earlier this month brought the US’s “affordability crisis” to the forefront, as more people wrestle with the rising cost of food, housing and basics – amid a “no hire” job market.

Trump says US economy is in a ‘golden age’. Do Americans agree? | The Bottom Line

United States President Donald Trump “looks at Saudi Arabia like a piggy bank or an ATM machine” and that’s why the recent Saudi-US summit focused on deals instead of strategic regional issues, such as Sudan, Palestine, Iran and Syria, argues political scientist Gregory Gause, professor emeritus of international affairs at Texas A&M University.

Gause tells host Steve Clemons that if Riyadh can seal a deal to house a joint AI data centre, “that's the best guarantee of US security.”

He adds that China may be Saudi Arabia’s biggest customer but the US is Riyadh’s “preferred partner on security, AI, economics and defence cooperation”.

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Palestinian statehood: Two-state solution or two-state delusion? | The Bottom Line

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