Israel: Cabinet Rejects ‘Unilateral’ Recognition of Palestinian State

TEL AVIV: Highlighting the escalating tension between the US and Israel, the Israeli cabinet unanimously endorsed a declaration vehemently opposing any proposal for Palestinian statehood.

This decision comes in response to reports suggesting that the US and several Arab partners are developing a detailed plan for a comprehensive peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. The plan includes a "firm timeline" for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The unanimous vote on Sunday rejected any externally imposed steps towards statehood imposed on Israel, affirming that any resolution must come “solely through direct negotiations between the parties, without preconditions.”

The Israeli cabinet's statement, consistent with longstanding government policy, highlights the significant challenges facing diplomatic efforts. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed "total victory" over Hamas and rejected international calls to halt the conflict in Gaza.

The Prime Minister presented a "declaratory decision" on Palestinian statehood to his Cabinet, which unanimously approved it.

Netanyahu has described Hamas' demands as "delusional," which include requiring Israel to withdraw its troops from Gaza and leave the militants in control of the territory, allowing them to rebuild their arsenal.

The statement affirmed that Israel "categorically rejects international dictates regarding a permanent arrangement with the Palestinians."

Efforts to achieve a two-state solution, with an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza alongside Israel, have been at a standstill since 2014.

The ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, sparked by Hamas' attacks on Israel on Oct 7, is the latest in a series of conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians that have spanned over seven decades, contributing to the destabilization of the Middle East.

The conflict now in its fifth month, has led to renewed calls from the US and other countries for the establishment of a Palestinian state as a means to halt the violence. President Joe Biden has also proposed a broader Middle East agreement that would involve Saudi Arabia and other Arab states normalizing diplomatic relations with Israel.

In the midst of this, the conflict in Gaza continues unabated. According to medics and witnesses, Israeli airstrikes across Gaza claimed the lives of at least 18 people overnight and into Sunday. One airstrike in Rafah, near the Egyptian border in southern Gaza, resulted in the deaths of a woman and three children, while another strike killed five men in Khan Younis.

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