Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Tuesday said that he rejected the idea of creating a Palestinian state, calling it a future “Iranian stronghold of terrorism.’’
He said this during a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron.
“During the conversation, the Prime Minister expressed fierce opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state, and said that this will constitute a huge prize for terrorism,’’ the statement said.
Netanyahu recalled that no Palestinian leader, including the leadership of the Palestinian Authority, has yet condemned the attack by the Hamas movement on Israel on October 7, 2023.
“The Prime Minister told the President of France that a Palestinian state will be established just a few minutes from Israeli cities and will become an Iranian stronghold of terrorism,” the statement added.
Last week, Macron said that his country might recognise the state of Palestine in June.
France, together with Saudi Arabia, intends to hold a peace conference on the Gaza Strip in June to “finalise this movement of recognition,’’ the president said.
In July 2024, Israeli parliament approved by a majority vote a declaration against the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank.
The document stated that Israel would resist attempts to unilaterally impose the creation of a Palestinian state.
