Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke brutally about the future of Palestine after the war

Israel’s prime minister has told the Biden administration that he rejects any move to create a Palestinian state once Israel ends its offensive on Gaza and that all territory west of the Jordan River will be under Israeli security control.

As The Guardian recalls, Benjamin Netanyahu has sought to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state throughout his political career, despite the idea being lukewarmly endorsed from time to time.

But his public statement on Thursday was the sharpest rebuttal to U.S. foreign policy at a time when the Biden administration has spent enormous domestic political capital on military support for Israel and in international forums.

The White House responded by saying the United States would continue to work toward a two-state solution and that there should be no Israeli reoccupation of Gaza after the war.

“Gaza will be post-conflict, there will be no reoccupation of Gaza,” White House national security adviser John Kirby told reporters aboard Air Force One after Netanyahu’s speech.

Subsequently, shortly after Netanyahu’s speech, Mexico and Chile announced that they had transferred information about Israeli actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for investigation into possible “war crimes.”

Mexico’s Foreign Ministry said it took the step due to growing concerns about the latest escalation of violence and civilian casualties.

In a news conference broadcast nationwide, Netanyahu vowed to continue the offensive until Israel achieves a “decisive victory over Hamas.” He said he conveyed to the United States his opposition to a Palestinian state.

“In any future agreement, Israel needs security control over all territory west of the Jordan River,” Netanyahu said at a nationally broadcast news conference. – This contradicts the idea of ​​sovereignty. What can you do?”

Netanyahu, whose political support has collapsed following Hamas’ surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7 that killed some 1,200 Israelis and others, appears to be clearly linking his own political survival to that of Israel, The Guardian writes.

“The day after Netanyahu,” the prime minister said. – The day after the death of most Israeli citizens. For 30 years I have been consistent in saying one simple thing: this conflict is not about the absence of a state, but about the existence of a state. From every territory we leave, we face terror, terrible terror against us. This happened in southern Lebanon, this happened in the Gaza Strip, and this happened in [Западном берегу]when we did it, piece by piece.”

Netanyahu added: “The prime minister must be able to say no to our friends.”

In a statement issued later to coincide with a meeting of his war cabinet, Netanyahu warned that the war would take months and promised “complete victory over Hamas.”

“Victory will still take many long months, but we are determined to achieve it,” predicts the Israeli prime minister. “Israel under my leadership will not compromise anything less than to completely defeat Hamas, and we will win.” I repeat this again so that no one has any doubt: we are seeking complete victory, not just “strike Hamas” or “hurt Hamas,” not “another round with Hamas,” but a complete victory over Hamas.” .

The US called on Israel to scale back its offensive in Gaza and insisted on ending the major fighting phase. In Washington they say that the creation of a Palestinian state must be part of “the day after tomorrow.” Among Biden’s senior officials, dissatisfaction with the Israeli prime minister is becoming increasingly noticeable, The Guardian notes.

Netanyahu’s intervention also comes amid growing tensions in his own governing coalition, not least his refusal to discuss specific proposals for the “day after tomorrow” in Gaza.

Netanyahu’s apparent refusal to create a Palestinian state is also likely to complicate support for Israel among other countries, not least in Europe, which have long supported the two-state solution of the Oslo accords. It would also undermine Israel’s attempts to normalize relations with Middle Eastern countries that have long supported Palestinian statehood.

More than 100 days after Hamas sparked the war with its attack, Israel continues to wage one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns in recent history with the stated goal of eliminating the militant group that has ruled Gaza since 2007 and returning dozens of prisoners. The war has heightened tensions throughout the region, threatening to spark other conflicts. More than 24,600 Palestinians have been killed, 85% of the 2.3 million people living in the narrow coastal area have fled their homes and the United Nations says a quarter of the population is starving.

Hundreds of thousands of people heeded Israeli evacuation orders and gathered in southern Gaza, where U.N.-run shelters are overcrowded and huge tent camps have grown. Israel continues to strike what it says are militant targets across Gaza, often killing women and children.