On Sunday, February 18, 2024, the Israeli government unanimously approved the “declarative resolution” put forward by Prime Minister Netanyahu regarding Tel Aviv’s opposition to any unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state.
According to Hebrew Channel 12, the statement format includes “Israel’s unequivocal rejection of international dictates regarding a permanent settlement with the Palestinians.”
The approved formulation explicitly does not rule out the possibility of a Palestinian state but rejects unilateral international recognition. Netanyahu stated at the outset of his weekly cabinet meeting that his government would vote on a “clarification resolution” regarding Israel’s opposition, following international efforts to what he described as “an attempt to impose a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state.” He also emphasized that “Israel rejects explicit international dictates regarding a permanent settlement with the Palestinians,” claiming that such an arrangement can only be reached through direct negotiations without preconditions.
Netanyahu added that “Israel will continue to oppose unilateral recognition of the Palestinian state,” stating that such recognition after October 7 would thwart any future peaceful settlement and reward “terrorism,” according to his description.
The Israeli stance coincides with efforts by US President Joe Biden’s administration to prepare a comprehensive plan for achieving lasting peace between Palestinians and Israelis, as reported by The Washington Post, citing US and Arab officials.
According to the newspaper, the American plan includes a timetable for establishing a Palestinian state that could be announced soon.
Recently, there has been a recurring pattern of US statements calling for the declaration of a Palestinian state following the end of the war in the Gaza Strip.
On Saturday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated during his participation in the Munich Security Conference in Germany that Tel Aviv has a significant opportunity to achieve peace with the Palestinians.
Blinken emphasized that the establishment of a Palestinian state has become an urgent need “more than ever.”
In addition to the United States, European countries have announced their consideration of recognizing an independent Palestinian state preemptively, a move that could pave the way for the implementation of the two-state solution.
