UPDATE - UK says Israeli ambassador's statement ruling out 2-state solution 'disappointing'

UPDATE WITH MORE REMARKS FROM FOREIGN SECRETARY CAMERON

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) – The UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron on Thursday said he found the Israeli ambassador's statement ruling out a two-state solution "disappointing."

Tzipi Hotovely, Israel's ambassador to the UK, told Sky News Israel would not accept a two-state solution when the war in Gaza ends.

Questioned for the first time as foreign secretary in front of a Lords committee, Cameron was asked whether he thinks she was speaking under instruction from her government.

Cameron said in response: "I don’t know the answer. I read the transcript and it is disappointing but ultimately, true security and stability for Israel which is something I care deeply about – I believe in Israel as a homeland for Jewish people, I believe in its right to exist, to thrive, to defend itself and all the rest of it – long-term security I think requires there to be a state for Palestine as well.

"So I don’t think we should put too much weight on one interview. We have to get on and think about how to help make this happen," he added.

Cameron also defended the UK's decision not to vote in favor of a UN resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Responding to questions from Lady Blackstone of the Labour Party regarding the situation in Gaza, Cameron outlined the rationale behind the UK's stance.

Cameron expressed his concern about the duration of the conflict but emphasized the need for a "sustainable cease-fire."

He argued that an immediate cease-fire, as proposed by the UN resolution, might not be conducive to a lasting peace if it allows Hamas to launch further attacks similar to the Oct. 7 incident.

According to Cameron, the resolution called for both an immediate cease-fire and a two-state solution, which he deemed incompatible.

"I didn't want this conflict to last a moment longer than is necessary. But if we're going to have a cease-fire, it needs to be a sustainable cease-fire in which Hamas is no longer at risk of repeating Oct. 7. And so our voting record at the UN and what we've said is we are in favor of humanitarian pauses. We would welcome another early humanitarian pause to get aid in and get hostages out and we want to see this conflict end as soon as possible," he explained.

"If you have an immediate cease-fire, but Hamas still armed to the teeth, launching rockets into Israel, wanting to repeat October the seventh you'll never have a two-state solution," he said.

Israel has bombarded the Gaza Strip from the air and land, imposed a siege and mounted a ground offensive in retaliation for a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, on Oct. 7.

At least 18,787 Palestinians have since been killed and 50,897 injured in the Israeli onslaught, according to Gaza’s health authorities.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stands at nearly 1,200, while 135 hostages are still held by the Palestinian group in Gaza, according to official figures.