The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
JERUSALEM | Xinhua | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Tuesday that he would not permit the establishment of a Palestinian state, rejecting reports that Israel had agreed to a “path toward Palestinian statehood” as part of efforts to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu has acted and continues to act against the establishment of a Palestinian state,” his office said in a statement, describing the reports as “completely false.” The statement added that such a move would “endanger Israel’s security.”
Israeli media earlier reported that a concession on Palestinian statehood was being considered as part of ongoing negotiations for a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia. Netanyahu, who has long regarded formal ties with the kingdom as a key strategic objective, dismissed the reports.
Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Middle East war. Palestinians seek to establish an independent state in those territories.
Netanyahu’s comments come amid mounting international criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, launched in October. The offensive has drawn global condemnation, with Netanyahu and senior Israeli officials facing war crimes accusations at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. ■
