Netanyahu Dismisses International Pressure for Palestinian State, Reports Reuters

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Friday that the country will not succumb to pressure to accept a Palestinian state. This declaration comes in response to a report indicating that the United States, Israel’s primary ally, is developing plans to support the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Netanyahu emphasized that Israel "categorically rejects international dictates regarding a permanent settlement with the Palestinians," following a discussion with U.S. President Joe Biden. He reiterated that Israel will resist any unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood.

He described the establishment of a Palestinian state as a "huge reward" after the October 7 attack by Hamas, which escalated the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Netanyahu asserted that any potential statehood should result from direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, although he noted that no talks have occurred since 2014.

The report also mentioned that the United States is collaborating with various Arab nations, including Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia—countries with which Israel seeks to enhance diplomatic relations—to create a post-war regional plan that would include a specific timeline for Palestinian statehood.

High-ranking Israeli officials have outright rejected this proposal. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who resides in a West Bank settlement, warned that a Palestinian state would represent "an existential threat" to Israel.

The two-state solution, which aims to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel in the territories of the West Bank and Gaza, has been a fundamental aspect of Western policy in the area.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry responded to Netanyahu’s comments, accusing him of seeking to sabotage the negotiation process. They stated, "The Palestinian state is not a gift or a favor from Netanyahu, but a right recognized by international law and valid international resolutions."

Significant barriers to Palestinian statehood include the expansion of Israeli settlements in territories occupied since the 1967 Middle East war, which many nations argue violate international law and disrupt the connectivity of Palestinian communities.

In the ongoing conflict, Israeli military operations have resulted in over 28,700 Palestinian fatalities, according to health authorities in the region, and have devastated much of Gaza, displacing a majority of its 2.3 million residents.

Israel maintains that its primary objective is to dismantle Hamas, the group responsible for the attack that led to the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of 253 individuals.