The issue and future of Jerusalem have been a focus of attention for years and especially since the 1967 Israeli occupation.

The killing of Palestinian TV journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and the appalling Israeli police assault on her funeral appear to have temporarily shifted attention back to the issue of Palestine and the Israeli occupation.

At a time when support for the two-state solution is almost at its lowest level, we are now repeatedly hearing this term. What makes such statements by Western leaders so hypocritical is that it is little more than lip service.

The exchange of attacks between Hamas and Israel notwithstanding, the most important takeaway from the events of the last week is that Jerusalem is and will continue to be the center of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

As the contours of US President Joe Biden’s foreign policy become increasingly apparent, doubts about his commitment to resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict continue to grow. And those doubts raise an urgent question: Can anyone fill the diplomatic vacuum the US leaves behind?