Israeli government officials and spokespersons have called on Israeli public opinion and the Tel Aviv government to adopt a categorical rejection of “any talk about establishing a Palestinian state,” considering that the creation of such a state would be a “prize for extremists.”
These calls came amid mounting international and Arab pressure on Israel to accept a settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the basis of the two-state solution, and achieve progress in the truce talks and prisoner exchange.
Hamas, for its part, insists on a complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza before reaching an agreement. Far-right extremist ministers, Itamar Ben Gvir, Minister of National Security, and Bezalel Smotrich, Minister of Finance, issued sharp statements on Thursday. en Gvir said on X: “1,400 Israelis have been killed, and the world wants to give them a state… This will not happen.”
“In no way will we agree to this plan that says the Palestinians deserve a reward for the massacre they committed against us,” Smotrich said on the same platform. He added that he would ask the war cabinet to vote against this idea, “by issuing a clear decision stating that Israel opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state.”
“I expect clear support from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, Gadi Eisenkot and all ministers,” Smotrich emphasized. In the same context, Avi Hyman, Netanyahu’s spokesman, also announced that the government rejects any discussion of the issue of a Palestinian state. He said: “This is not the time when we are discussing giving gifts to the Palestinian people.”
Education Minister Yoav Kisch, from the Likud Party, stated: “Any talk about granting this award…does not concern us and we are not partners in it.”
The storming by Israeli troops of southern Gaza’s main hospital brought chaos to hundreds of staff and patients inside, as health officials Friday said four people in intensive care died after their oxygen cut off. Troops were searching the facility, where the military said it believes the remains of hostages abducted by Hamas might be located.
The raid came after troops had besieged Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis for nearly a week, with staff, patients and others inside struggling under heavy fire and dwindling supplies, including food and water. Hours before troops seized the hospital Thursday, Israeli fire killed a patient and wounded six others inside the complex, staff said.
Negotiations over a ceasefire in Gaza, meanwhile, appear to have stalled, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday pushed back hard against the US vision for after the war — particularly its calls for the creation of a Palestinian state. After speaking overnight with President Joe Biden, Netanyahu wrote on X that Israel will not accept “international dictates regarding a permanent settlement with the Palestinians.”
He said that if other countries unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state, it would give a “reward to terrorism.” Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected creation of a Palestinian state.
Netanyahu has vowed to continue the offensive and expand it to the Gaza city of Rafah, near Egypt, until Hamas is destroyed and scores of hostages taken during the militants’ Oct. 7 attack are freed. In their phone call, Biden again cautioned Netanyahu against moving forward with a military operation in Rafah before coming up with a “credible and executable plan” to ensure the safety of Palestinian civilians, the White House said.
With the war showing no sign of ending, the risk of a broader conflict grew as Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group had deadliest exchange of fire along the border since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Israel launched airstrikes into southern Lebanon for a second day on Thursday after killing 10 civilians and three Hezbollah fighters on Wednesday in response to a rocket attack that killed an Israeli soldier and wounded several others.
Source: Sharq Awsat
