<div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">US State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller recently said Israel and the other countries in the region have to make their own decisions.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He made the statement during a press briefing on 26 February following a comment about the US invading other countries.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the briefing he was asked why the US has not made more progress on a two-state solution despite having "so many tools", the spokesman replied "Israel, like other countries in the region, is a sovereign country that makes its own decisions and the United States does not dictate to Israel what it must do, just as we don't dictate to any country what it must do."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This comment earned an instant counter from a listening reporter saying "Unless you invade them," to which the spokesmen reiterated "Israel has to make its own decisions."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When asked about what the US was going to do regarding Israel's plan for Gaza and how Netanyahu was not moving with the US in regards to a two-state solution, he admitted, "The US has not had a detailed conversation with the Government of Israel about this plan yet…"</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments. AP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>