Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the United States that he opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state as part of any post-war scenario, underscoring divisions between the allies three months into Israel’s relentless military assault on Gaza.
In a nationally broadcast news conference on Thursday, Netanyahu pledged to press ahead with the offensive until Israel realises a “decisive victory over Hamas” and said he had relayed his positions on Palestinian statehood to US officials.
“In any future arrangement … Israel needs security control over all territory west of the Jordan River,” Netanyahu said. “This collides with the idea of sovereignty. What can you do?”
“The prime minister needs to be capable of saying no to our friends,” he added.
While the US has vetoed United Nations resolutions calling for a ceasefire, it has called on Israel to scale back the intensity of its war on Gaza, and said that the establishment of a Palestinian state should be part of the “day after”.
Following Netanyahu’s comments, US National Security Adviser John Kirby said that there would be no reoccupation of Gaza after the war and emphasised that the US remains committed to a two-state solution.
US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller also said Israel now has an opportunity to engage with the idea of a Palestinian state, as countries in the region are ready to provide security assurances.
“There is no way to solve [Israel’s] long-term challenges to provide lasting security and there is no way to solve the short-term challenges of rebuilding Gaza and establishing governance in Gaza and providing security for Gaza without the establishment of a Palestinian state,” he told a news briefing on Thursday.
He added that despite differences of opinion between the US and Israel, “our support for Israel remains ironclad.”
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