The two-state solution, which the US Secretary of State is now promoting again in the Middle East, has been more important for the West than for the conflicting parties themselves for years. The United States and the EU find themselves in a difficult balancing act between the alliance with Israel and the justified claims of the Palestinians .

In theory, the two-state formula offers a clean solution.

In reality, however, the prerequisites are lacking, and not only since the acts of violence of the past few days: the biggest obstacles are the building of settlements on the one hand, the question of the right of return on the other and the negotiation fatigue on both sides.

Added to this is the Gaza problem.

Netanyahu's coalition

Nothing will change as long as Netanyahu's coalition with settler politicians and opponents of a Palestinian state continues.

The best Blinken can hope for is what has characterized the Middle East conflict for many years now: a confirmation of the precarious status quo, only to be challenged again in a few weeks or months.

The fact that the Biden government distrusts Netanyahu doesn't make things any easier.

He only has support from Washington for the planned reconciliation with Saudi Arabia.

However, whether that succeeds also depends on how Netanyahu behaves on the Palestinian issue.