Conflict in the Middle East: Netanyahu confirms rejection of the Palestinian state

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed to France President Emmanuel Macron that he strictly rejects the establishment of a Palestinian state. Such a step would “represent a huge reward for terrorism,” said Netanyahu, according to his office, on the phone call with Macron.

From the Palestinian side-not even by the Autonomy Agency-there have so far been no conviction of the Hamas massacre in the Israeli border area on October 7, 2023, Netanyahu said on the grounds. In fact, the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmud Abbas has publicly distanced himself from this several times shortly after the massacre. “Children are brought up to strive for Israel’s destruction and given financial rewards to those who murder the Jews,” Netanyahu explained. A Palestinian state “only minutes away from Israeli cities would be an Iranian terrorist base,” he said. A majority of the Israelis reject this.

Macron had recently promised in an interview with the broadcaster France 5 that France could recognize a Palestinian state in June. He made it clear that he also strives to recognize propalestinian states of Israel. He expressed the goal that this “mutual recognition” through several states could take place in June at a conference led together with Saudi Arabia.

Almost 150 UN member states have recognized Palestine as a state, including in addition to Russia and China, Sweden, Norway, Spain and Ireland. However, other important western countries are not one of them.

The term two -state solution means an independent Palestinian state that occurs peacefully side by side with Israel. Macron did not specifically respond to possible recognition in a message after the phone call with Netanyahu. On the other hand, he emphasized that a ceasefire was the only way to ensure the liberation of further hostages. In addition, all checkpoints for humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip would have to be opened.