Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior members of his government have reiterated their firm opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state, just hours before the UN Security Council votes on a US-backed Gaza peace resolution on Monday.
The resolution, which follows the ceasefire deal brokered by US President Donald Trump between Israel and Hamas, seeks to endorse a transitional administration in Gaza and authorise a temporary international security force for the war-torn enclave.
But unlike earlier drafts, the latest version of the text refers to a possible future Palestinian state, a clause that has triggered strong pushback within Israel’s governing coalition.
Netanyahu, speaking at a cabinet meeting on Sunday, insisted that Israel’s stance remains unchanged. “Our opposition to a Palestinian state on any territory has not changed,” he declared.
Coalition Hardliners Press Netanyahu for a Tougher Stance
Pressure had been mounting on the prime minister from within his right-wing coalition before Sunday’s meeting. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich publicly accused Netanyahu of failing to respond firmly enough to a recent wave of recognition of Palestinian statehood by several Western governments.
Smotrich urged the prime minister on X to “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.”
Netanyahu pushed back, saying he did “not need affirmations, tweets, or lectures from anyone,” emphasising that Israel’s policy has been consistent.
Read also: Walkout at UN as Netanyahu Rejects Gaza ‘Genocide’ Accusations
Other members of his cabinet echoed the opposition to Palestinian statehood, though they avoided directly referencing the UN resolution. Defence Minister Israel Katz wrote on X that “Israel’s policy is clear: no Palestinian state will be established.”
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also warned that Israel would “not agree to the establishment of a Palestinian terror state in the heart of the Land of Israel.”
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir went further, claiming that the Palestinian identity itself was an “invention,” intensifying the rhetoric from the far-right flank of the government.
UN Resolution Marks Shift Toward Phase Two of Ceasefire Deal
If passed, the Security Council resolution would advance the second phase of the US-brokered ceasefire agreement reached last month, which halted a devastating two-year conflict triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
The first phase of the deal has already led to the release of the last 20 living Israeli hostages and nearly all 28 dead captives held by Hamas and allied militant groups.
In return, Israel has released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and returned 330 bodies.
The proposed second phase, and the international oversight it introduces, has divided Israeli political leaders, even as international pressure mounts for a long-term political roadmap for Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Security Council will vote on the resolution on Monday, with global attention focused on whether Israel’s rejection of Palestinian statehood will complicate the implementation of the fragile ceasefire and the path forward for Gaza.
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