Newsroom
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday dismissed suggestions that he had agreed in principle to a Palestinian state, insisting instead that Israel’s army will remain in much of Gaza.
In a video message posted to his Telegram account, Netanyahu said bluntly: “We are firmly opposed to a Palestinian state.” His comments came a day after he stood beside former U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House to show support for Trump’s new Middle East peace plan.
Netanyahu stressed that Israel’s top priorities are to bring home hostages held in Gaza and to ensure that Hamas is not allowed to regroup. “No, no, it will not happen that way,” he said, rejecting any scenario where Israel would withdraw its forces and leave Hamas in control of the territory.
Trump’s 20-point proposal does leave a door open for Palestinian statehood, stating that once Gaza is rebuilt and the Palestinian Authority undergoes reforms, “conditions may finally be right for a credible path toward Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”
That possibility has drawn renewed attention after a wave of recent recognitions of Palestine by Western allies. Britain, France, Australia, and Canada joined more than 140 countries that have already recognized a Palestinian state, including China and Russia. Of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, only the United States continues to withhold recognition.
The split shows the growing international pressure for a two-state solution even as Israel’s leadership doubles down on its opposition.
