Israeli Knesset overwhelmingly votes against Palestinian state

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
18 Jul 2024 13:05

Israeli lawmakers have rejected the establishment of a Palestinian state under any circumstances.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a session of the Knesset, in occupied al-Quds, occupied Palestine, on July 17, 2024. (AP)

The Israeli Knesset voted to pass a resolution rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state on Thursday ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's potential visit to Washington.

Parties from Netanyahu's coalition and right-wing parties from the opposition, including Benny Gantz's State Camp party, co-sponsored the resolution. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said in the Knesset, "The Palestinian State cannot be established because there is no such thing as a Palestinian people."

Knesset members from Opposition leader Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid party left the hall to avoid voting on the resolution, despite the party taking a strict position in favor of a "two-state solution."

The Israeli Labor Party, Ra'am, and Hadash-Ta'al were the only parties not to back the measure.

Earlier in February, the Knesset passed a resolution rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state, however, the motion specifically addressed a unilateral establishment of such a state without "Israel's" approval.

This time around, the measure holds more drastic content, as it outright rejects any establishment of a Palestinian state, rejecting Palestinians' right to statehood.

Netanyahu heads to Congress armed with rejection of Palestinian statehood

"The Knesset of Israel firmly opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state west of Jordan. The establishment of a Palestinian state in the heart of the Land of Israel will pose an existential danger to the State of Israel and its citizens, perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and destabilize the region," Thursday's resolution states.

"Promoting the idea of a Palestinian state at this time will be a reward for terrorism and will only encourage Hamas and its supporters to see this as a victory, thanks to the massacre of October 7, 2023, and a prelude to the takeover of jihadist Islam in the Middle East," the measure claims.

The vote unequivocally demonstrates the Israeli settler society's widespread rejection of Palestinian statehood, effectively undermining the United States' efforts to portray Israelis as the proponents of peace while depicting Palestinian factions as the obstacles.

It also highlights that Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies' extremist views are not restricted to the coalition government, but also represent political parties considered to lean closer to the political center, especially on issues relating to Palestinians.

Armed with the resolution, Netanyahu will travel to the US on July 24, confidently reiterating the Israeli stance on Palestinian statehood despite recurring Democratic calls for a "two-state solution."