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Netanyahu vows strong response to countries recognising Palestinian state

By Adam Mosadioluwa

Copyright tribuneonlineng

Netanyahu vows strong response to countries recognising Palestinian state

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has vowed to take strong action against a growing number of countries recognizing a Palestinian state, declaring such moves a threat to Israel’s existence.

Speaking at a weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu said Israel would fight back at the United Nations and other global platforms against what he described as “slanderous propaganda” and efforts to promote a Palestinian state, which he argued would “endanger our existence and constitute an absurd prize for terrorism.”

The Israeli leader hinted that his government’s response would be shaped after his upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump, stressing that with Washington’s backing, Israel has wide room to maneuver diplomatically and politically.

Netanyahu further revealed that Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank have doubled under his leadership and vowed that expansion would continue, despite international law deeming them illegal.

His far-right allies are pushing for tougher measures, including annexation of large parts of the West Bank. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich described annexation as the “only response,” while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said he would table a proposal to apply full Israeli sovereignty and dismantle the Palestinian Authority.

The latest tensions follow recognition of a Palestinian state by countries including the UK, Canada, and Australia, long considered close allies of Israel.

Rather than softening Israel’s stance, the move has fueled more aggressive calls within Netanyahu’s coalition to reject any path toward Palestinian independence.

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Although US Secretary of State Marco Rubio disclosed that he tried to dissuade those nations from recognizing Palestine, none shifted their position.

Former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas predicted Netanyahu may pursue only “token annexation” in limited areas of the West Bank, but faulted the government for missing the chance to launch a diplomatic campaign or ease humanitarian conditions in Gaza to soften international opposition.

Meanwhile, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu of plunging Israel into its “most severe diplomatic crisis ever,” blaming his government for both the ongoing war and the worsening global backlash.

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