Abbas warns of narrowing window for two-state solution

BETHLEHEM - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday said there was a narrowing window for the two-state solution to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"The opportunity for a two-state solution on the 1967 borders may be available today, and it may not remain for a long time," Abbas said after meeting with US President Joe Biden in the occupied West Bank.

Abbas also asked for US support to holding accountable the killers of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed during an Israeli raid in the West Bank city of Jenin on May 11.

Biden pledged to keep up efforts to support a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict even though the goal of a two-state solution appeared far off.

Speaking alongside Abbas in Bethlehem, Biden said the United States would not give up on the goal of a just settlement to the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

"Even if the ground is not right at this moment to restart negotiations, the United States and my administration will not give up on trying to bring the Palestinians, Israelis and both sides closer together."