Netanyahu Rejects Palestinian Statehood Before UN Gaza Vote

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu firmly rejected any pathway to Palestinian statehood on Sunday, reaffirming Israel's longstanding opposition just as the United Nations Security Council prepares to vote on a U.S.-sponsored resolution endorsing an international stabilization force for Gaza.

Speaking in Jerusalem ahead of his weekly Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu stated that Israel's position against establishing a Palestinian state on territory west of the Jordan River remains unchanged. "Our opposition to a Palestinian state in any territory has not changed. It stands and remains," he said, according to his office. He emphasized efforts to demilitarize Gaza and dismantle Hamas, adding that such goals would be achieved "the easy way or the hard way." Netanyahu also dismissed external and internal pressures, noting he has resisted similar initiatives for decades without needing "affirmations, tweets or lectures from anyone."

The remarks came in response to a joint statement issued Friday by the United States and eight nations, including Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan and Turkey. The statement supported Washington's proposed...