Netanyahu rejects Palestinian statehood, insists on West Bank control
3 Min Read
Netanyahu declared that his "insistence has prevented for years the establishment of a Palestinian state that would have constituted an existential threat to Israel."
-
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at the "Kirya" military base in "Tel Aviv", Palestine, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 (/Pool Photo via AP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his uncompromising position on maintaining full security control over the occupied West Bank.
"I will not compromise on full Israeli security control over all the territory west of Jordan," Netanyahu wrote in a post on X. "And this is contrary to a Palestinian state."
לא אתפשר על שליטה ביטחונית ישראלית מלאה על כל השטח ממערב לירדן - וזה מנוגד למדינה פלסטינית.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) January 20, 2024
Netanyahu declared that his "insistence has prevented for years the establishment of a Palestinian state that would have constituted an existential threat to Israel."
In addition to emphasizing control over the West Bank, Netanyahu also underscored the necessity of disarming Gaza and bringing it under Israeli security control.
Hours after Hamas published a report detailing the October 7 Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that he had rejected the demands made by the Palestinian Resistance for the release of Israeli captives in Gaza.
Read more: Netanyahu: There can be no Palestinian state
This comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions regarding the preconditions imposed by Saudi Arabia to reach a normalization agreement with "Israel."
The Gulf country has reiterated several times and through various diplomatic channels that the only obstacle standing in the way of normalizing relations with the Israeli regime would involve the establishment of a Palestinian state.
As a result of this, the US has been pressuring "Israel" to comply with Saudi preconditions.
Growing distrust
On Saturday, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has stated that there is "broad consensus" in the Israeli occupation against a Palestinian state, calling such a state a "push for the next massacre."
In an X post, the extremist Israeli minister said “Israel’s friends should understand that the push for the establishment of a Palestinian state is a push for the next massacre, God forbid, and [poses] a threat to the existence of the State of Israel.”
He declared that the White House must "wise up on the concepts that led to [this] national disaster in Israel."
Read more: US rushes post-war plans without Netanyahu, pushes for normalization
On the same day, a report by NBC News revealed that pro-Israeli lawmakers are "sounding the alarm" that they are not as confident as they were in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, particularly with his handling of the war on Gaza.
Three MPs who spoke with NBC News wondered if Netanyahu even had a real strategy during the onslaught, implying that he was intentionally prolonging the war to stay in power.
One House Republican said it is "really hard" to defend him, expressing that the Israeli PM has a "political benefit" to steer clear of a ceasefire. He emphasized there was a "real distrust" regarding his ability to lead and shed light on his massive unpopularity within the occupation, both in the government and on the streets.
One House Democrat who called himself a "strong friend" of "Israel" referred to Netanyahu as a "disaster" expressing concern over the "endless war" that is killing far too many civilians in Gaza.
Netanyahu's office denied claims of a prolonged war, citing that "more needs to be done" to achieve "Israel's" goals to eradicate Hamas and release Israeli captives.
