Vote strengthens Netanyahu’s stance before historical speech to Congress but may provoke consternation by Democrats who have yet to realize the Two-State Solution has been dead in the water since October 7.
In a decisive move, the Knesset voted early Thursday to reject the establishment of a Palestinian state, a resolution that could further strain relations with Democrats in the US who support a two-state solution.
The resolution, backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, right-wing opposition parties, and some members of Benny Gantz’s centrist National Unity party, was passed by a substantial majority. The only opposition came from lawmakers in the Labor, Ra’am, and Hadash-Ta’al parties. Members of Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party abstained by leaving the plenum.
This vote comes just days before Netanyahu’s planned address to a joint session of Congress and his meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House. This timing is seen as likely to exacerbate tensions with Democrats, who have expressed discomfort with Israel’s firm stance against a two-state solution and its recent military actions in Gaza.
The resolution, which passed 68-9, unequivocally opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state, even within the framework of a negotiated settlement. It asserts that a Palestinian state would pose an existential threat to Israel, perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and destabilize the region. The text of the resolution reads, “The establishment of a Palestinian state in the heart of the Land of Israel will pose an existential danger to the State of Israel and its citizens, perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and destabilize the region.”
Netanyahu lauded the Knesset’s decision, stating, “I congratulate the Members of Knesset, including the opposition members, who voted by a vast majority in favor of my motion that Israel oppose unilateral diktats for the establishment of a Palestinian state.”
The Palestinian Authority (PA) reacted sharply to the vote. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for PA President Mahmoud Abbas, declared, “There is no peace or security for anyone without the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.” He accused the Israeli government of pushing the region into chaos with US backing and labeled Israel’s military operations in Gaza as terrorism due to the civilian casualties involved.
Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior PA official, criticized the Knesset’s decision on social media, calling it a confirmation of Israel’s “racism” and “disregard for international law.” He urged countries hesitant to recognize a Palestinian state to do so immediately to protect the two-state solution and called on Arab states to respond appropriately to the Knesset’s resolution.
Excellent good sense. Israel owes nothing to the adherents of “Palestinianism”, the Arab/Islamonazi Supremacist political movement masquerading as an ethnic national cause.Which it most emphatically is not.
Have respect due any political movement and any group of Arab people when they make statements regarding their objectives, goals, and aspirations…and the Arab Palestinians have made these very, very clear.Those Arabs that do not subscribe to the stated objectives, goals, and aspirations must have a path to being more than human cannon fodder for Islamonazi Supremacism. But it will not happen on the “Palestinianism” path. Perhaps they might want to simply be Levantine Arabs again, with the choice of being Israeli or move to an Arab ruled State. Plenty of them.
There assuredly would be no peace for any , given yet MORE Israeli land including any part of the Holy City of Jerusalem, most especially the Temple Mount! Such a “solution” is SUICIDE for Israel! Besides there already is a”Palestinian state: Jordan!
Sandra L. Smith, Omein and omein!