Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his government underscored their opposition to a Palestinian state ahead of a UN Security Council vote today on a resolution endorsing a US-backed Gaza peace plan.
The draft resolution would follow up on the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas brokered by US President Donald Trump, giving the council’s blessing for a transitional administration and a temporary international security force in the devastated territory.
Unlike previous drafts, the latest version of the resolution mentions a possible future Palestinian state, which the Israeli government is vehemently against.
“Our opposition to a Palestinian state on any territory has not changed,” Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting yesterday.
The Israeli prime minister came in for the meeting after facing criticism from coalition members, including far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who had accused him of failing to respond to a recent wave of recognition of Palestinian statehood by Western countries.
“Formulate immediately an appropriate and decisive response that will make it clear to the entire world – no Palestinian state will ever arise on the lands of our homeland,” Smotrich urged Netanyahu on X.
Speaking to his Cabinet, Netanyahu said that Israel’s opposition to a Palestinian state has ‘not changed one bit’.
The pressure for Palestinian statehood increased during the war in Gaza. In September, the UK, Australia and Canada formally recognised a Palestinian state.
The first phase of the US-backed ceasefire deal has seen the release of the last 20 living Israeli hostages and nearly all of the 28 dead captives held by Palestinians.
In exchange, Israel has freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and returned 330 bodies.
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