Top Israeli ministers reject Palestinian statehood as part of post war plan

Source: Reuters

Top Israeli ministers reject Palestinian statehood as part of post war plan

Reuters
February 15, 2024 9:24 AM EST Updated 9 hours ago

JERUSALEM, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Top ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government rejected Palestinian statehood on Thursday following a Washington Post report that Israel's main ally the United States was advancing plans to establish a Palestinian state.

"We will in no way agree to this plan, which says Palestinians deserve a prize for the terrible massacre they carried out against us: a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital," Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said.

"A Palestinian state is an existential threat to the State of Israel as was proven on Oct. 7," he said, adding that he will demand the security cabinet, set to meet later on Thursday, to take a clear position against Palestinian statehood.

The Washington Post reported on Thursday that the United States was working with some Arab countries, including Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia - with which Israel has long sought to establish diplomatic ties - on a post war plan for the region that would include a firm timeline for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said any political initiative that did not begin with a Palestinian state as a full member of the United Nations was "doomed to failure".

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/top-israeli-ministers-reject-palestinian-statehood-part-post-war-plan-2024-02-15/

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