Israeli Government Rejects Unilateral Declaration of Palestinian Statehood

The Israeli government unanimously adopted a resolution prohibiting the recognition of a Palestinian state, except after bilateral negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced today, Sunday, that the government would vote on a "clarifying resolution" regarding Israel's opposition to any unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state. Netanyahu stated at the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting that this step comes after "the latest discussions in the international community about attempts to impose a Palestinian state on Israel unilaterally." He said the official statement would reflect that "Israel rejects explicit international dictates regarding a permanent settlement with the Palestinians. Such an arrangement can only be reached through direct negotiations between the parties, without preconditions." For his part, Gantz stated that "after the attack on October 7, 2023, any unilateral step to recognize a Palestinian state is not the way to regional stability and political settlements." He added, "The world must know, as well as the leaders of Hamas, that if our hostages are not back home during Ramadan, the war will continue, and we will reach Rafah."