Israeli minister praises US president Donald Trump's two-state statement

A far-right Israeli minister praised the end of the idea of a Palestinian state, after US President Donald Trump said he could abandon a two-state solution if an alternative was found.

"A new era. New ideas. No need for 3rd Palestinian state beyond Jordan & Gaza. Big day for Israelis & reasonable Arabs.Congrats," Education Minister Naftali Bennett said on Twitter in English.

Bennett, a staunch defender of settlement growth and a supporter of annexing part of the occupied West Bank, applauded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting with Trump in Washington.

"After 24 years, the Palestinian flag has come down from the mast and the Israeli flag has taken its place," Bennett said in Hebrew, alluding to the 1993 Oslo accords between Israel and the Palestinians which promised to establish an independent Palestinian state.

His comments came only minutes after Trump's confirmed he was not wedded to the idea of two states ahead of a meeting with Netanyahu. "I'm looking at two state and one state, and I like the one that both parties like.

I'm very happy with the one that both parties like," Trump said at a press conference with Netanyahu at the White House.