Netanyahu Rejects Palestinian State, Defies US Ahead of UN Vote

Tel Aviv: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has again dismissed any prospect of a Palestinian state, signalling that he is now unwilling to yield even to pressure from the United States, a country on which Israel has long relied diplomatically, militarily and financially. His remarks come ahead of Monday’s UN Security Council vote on a revised American resolution that cautiously leaves room for Palestinian statehood.

USA, facing growing international outrage over the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the West Bank, had strengthened the resolution’s language on Palestinian self -determination. The US move was widely seen as an attempt to push Netanyahu towards some form of political compromise. But critics say the Israeli leader, determined to hold together his hard-right coalition, is instead doubling down.

Netanyahu told his Cabinet that Israel’s opposition to Palestinian independence “has not changed one bit,” insisting he has spent decades preventing any such outcome. For many observers, the statement reflects a wider belief that Netanyahu’s political survival now depends on aligning with ultra-nationalist partners who reject any concessions and favour increasingly forceful measures against Palestinians.

While Donald Trump’s earlier 20- point peace plan has largely collapsed under global criticism and shifting regional realities, Washington is still attempting to craft a diplomatic path forward. Yet the gap between the US position and Netanyahu’s stance appears to be widening. International pressure on the US to act against alleged Israeli excesses continues to build, particularly as rights groups document growing civilian harm.

Although Israel declared pauses in fighting, Palestinians report that military raids and aggressive operations have continued. In the West Bank, violence has sharply escalated. A 19-year-old Palestinian was killed by Israeli fire in Nablus on Sunday, one of several Palestinians shot dead in recent weeks. Human rights organisations say settler attacks, carried out with increasing impunity, have surged to levels not seen since 2006.

UN officials warn that the West Bank crisis risks igniting wider instability, while critics argue that Washington’s influence over Netanyahu is weakening precisely when the US is attempting to rein in further escalation.