Jerusalem: The Israeli government approved a resolution rejecting any international attempts to impose a Palestinian state on Israel, arguing that Israel would have to directly negotiate any “permanent” arrangement with the Palestinians.
The largely symbolic move followed recent comments from some of Israel's allies suggesting they might consider simply recognizing a Palestinian state before reaching any agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who presented the resolution to his government, described its approval as a “declaratory decision” that was necessary “in light of the statements recently heard in the international community.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a gathering of Jewish leaders at the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem on Sunday.credit: AP
The decision – which strengthens Netanyahu's position several times in recent days – comes as the Biden administration tries to broker an agreement to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. US and Saudi officials said the possibility of that happening hinges on Israel agreeing to work toward a two-state solution — which means establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Netanyahu rejected the recent pressure exerted by President Joe Biden to agree to this path after the end of the war in the Gaza Strip, and doubled his opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state.
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The final wording of the Israeli government's decision appears to have been carefully crafted with the aim of accommodating the extreme nationalist members of Netanyahu's right-wing government, who oppose the idea of negotiations with the Palestinians, and the centrists who joined the government to help oversee the negotiations. The war in the Gaza Strip after the Hamas-led attacks on October 7.
It did not explicitly rule out the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state, focusing instead on this process.
The resolution stated: “Israel categorically rejects international dictates regarding the permanent settlement with the Palestinians,” adding that “the settlement, if reached, will only be achieved through direct negotiations between the two parties, without preconditions.”
