Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims that he has informed the US of his opposition to the creation of a Palestinian State after the Gaza conflict is over.
A defiant Netanyahu vowed at a press conference to continue the offensive in Gaza until complete victory—that is, the elimination of Hamas and the release of the remaining Israeli hostages—although he added that it would take many more months.
With 85% of the population of the Gaza Strip homeless and nearly 25,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, Israel is under tremendous pressure to halt its offensive and hold substantive negotiations about a long-term solution to the conflict.
The US, among many of Israel’s adversaries as well as supporters, have called for the resuscitation of the long-dormant “two-state solution,” which calls for the establishment of an Israeli state alongside a future Palestinian one.
Many people believe that the current crisis has the potential to drive the warring parties back to negotiations, which is the only practical way to break the never-ending cycle of violence. However, it seems from Mr. Netanyahu’s remarks that the reverse is his aim.
He declared at the press conference on Thursday that Israel needs to maintain security control over all territory west of the Jordan River, including any future Palestinian state.
Netanyahu has spent much of his political career opposing Palestinian statehood, boasting just last month that he was proud to have prevented its establishment, so his latest remarks come as no surprise.
Since the 7 October attacks , the US has supported Israel’s right to defend itself.
However, as the death toll in Gaza has risen and sights of misery have emerged, Western nations have urged Israel to exercise caution.
The White House has frequently attempted to influence Israel’s military policy, demanding more precision-guided weaponry rather than blanket air attacks, discouraging a ground offensive, and advocating for a two-state solution that includes a role for the Palestinian Authority in post-conflict Gaza.
