The Israeli government has formally rejected the unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, according to reports from the Times of Israel.
In a decision approved on Sunday, the Israeli Cabinet stated, “Israel categorically rejects international diktats around a permanent settlement with the Palestinians,” emphasising that any settlement must arise from direct negotiations between the two parties, without preconditions.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated this stance ahead of the Cabinet meeting, asserting Israel’s opposition to external pressure aimed at imposing a Palestinian state.
The Cabinet decision characterised unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state as a “massive, unprecedented prize for terror.”
Recent reports suggest that the United States, along with several Arab countries, is finalising a peace plan for Israel and the Palestinians. This plan reportedly includes a definitive timeline for establishing a Palestinian state, potentially to be announced in the coming weeks.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasised on Saturday the urgent need for Israel to pursue peace with the Palestinians, highlighting the importance of creating a Palestinian state.
Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem, which began during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and was later annexed in 1980, remains unrecognised by the international community, which regards Jerusalem as a city with a disputed status.
The Palestinians aspire to establish an independent state in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, with East Jerusalem designated as its capital.