Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has unanimously rejected any attempts by foreign powers to create a Palestinian state. The announcement was made during a cabinet meeting on Sunday morning, in response to pressure from various forces at the United Nations and the Biden administration to accept a two-state solution after the recent war against Hamas in Gaza.
“In light of the talk recently heard in the international community about an attempt to unilaterally impose a Palestinian state on Israel, I am bringing today a declarative decision on this issue for the approval of the government. I am sure it will be widely accepted,” Netanyahu said in Hebrew.
The government’s declaration stated, “Israel outright rejects international dictates regarding the permanent settlement with the Palestinians.” It emphasized that any arrangement must be reached through direct negotiations between the parties, without preconditions. Israel will continue to oppose the unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, as it believes such recognition would reward terrorism and hinder future peace settlements.
Netanyahu had also conveyed a similar message to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week, warning that recognition of a Palestinian state would reward those responsible for the October 7 massacre.
President Biden and other U.S. officials have consistently pushed for a two-state solution as the end goal for Israel’s conflict with Hamas. However, Israel has made numerous attempts over the past 75 years to negotiate a peace deal and two-state solution with Palestinian and Arab leaders, all of which have been rejected. This includes the initial 1947 UN partition plan that led to Israel’s establishment, as well as Israeli offers in 2000 and 2008 that would have recognized a Palestinian state.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, expressed doubts about the feasibility and advisability of a two-state solution. He explained that previous efforts to coerce Israel and the Palestinians into accepting it have repeatedly failed. Friedman cited three reasons for this: the Palestinians’ refusal to accept a Jewish State, the high likelihood of a Palestinian state becoming a terror state and posing an existential threat to Israel, and the significance of the West Bank as biblical Israel with numerous Jewish and Christian holy sites.
It remains to be seen how the rejection of a Palestinian state by the Israeli government will impact the ongoing discussions and negotiations surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict.
