Netanyahu faces far-right backlash after vowing no Palestinian state

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday reaffirmed his opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state, a day before the U.N. Security Council was scheduled to vote on a U.S.-drafted resolution for Gaza that leaves the door open to Palestinian independence.

Netanyahu has long argued that creating a Palestinian state would reward Hamas and could eventually lead to a larger Hamas-run state on Israel’s borders. Yet as the U.S. pushes its Gaza ceasefire proposal, he faces heavy international pressure to show flexibility.

The Security Council is expected to vote on a U.S. proposal for a U.N. mandate that would establish an international stabilization force in Gaza, despite opposition from Russia, China, and several Arab countries.

Hamas and other Palestinian factions warned against the U.S. proposal, calling it an attempt to impose an international mandate on Gaza that favors Israel and deprives Palestinians of the right to govern themselves. The groups said the force must exclude Israel and be directly supervised by the U.N.

Netanyahu noted that the proposal calls for Gaza to be demilitarized and Hamas to be disarmed. Speaking to his Cabinet, he said, “Either this will happen the easy way, or it will happen the hard way.”

The U.S., under pressure from countries expected to contribute troops, revised the resolution to include stronger language on Palestinian self-determination. It now states that the plan may create a “credible pathway” to Palestinian statehood. A rival Russian proposal uses even stronger language supporting Palestinian statehood.

Internationally, a Palestinian state alongside Israel is seen as the only realistic long-term solution to the conflict.

Netanyahu’s hard-line coalition partners have urged him to take a firm stance against calls for Palestinian independence. He said Sunday that Israel’s opposition has “not changed one bit” and is not swayed by external or internal pressure. “I do not need affirmations, tweets or lectures from anyone,” he said.

During the Gaza war, pressure on Netanyahu increased. In September, after the U.K., Australia, and Canada recognized a Palestinian state, he criticized the countries for giving a “prize” to Hamas.

Netanyahu also addressed the surge in attacks by Jewish settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, saying the violence was the work of a small minority. Palestinians and human rights groups say the violence is widespread and accuse the government of turning a blind eye.

Palestinian health officials reported that a 19-year-old Palestinian man was the seventh person killed in the West Bank over the past two weeks by Israeli fire. The spike in violence coincides with an increase in settler attacks.

The Israeli military said its troops were operating in Nablus in the northern West Bank when the man threw an explosive device at soldiers, who returned fire. Later, the military said its forces killed someone in the Far’a area who “attempted to harm them,” providing no further details. No immediate Palestinian comment was available.

In addition to Sunday’s clashes, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported that six teenagers, aged 15 to 17, were shot and killed in four separate incidents over the past two weeks.

Netanyahu described settler violence as the work of a few extremists. Palestinians and rights groups say the violence is carried out by settlers with impunity from Israel’s far-right government. Settler leaders and their allies hold top positions in Netanyahu’s Cabinet, including ministers overseeing the national police and West Bank settlements.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that there are concerns the events in the West Bank “could undermine what we’re doing in Gaza.”

U.N. Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said the U.N. recorded more than 260 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians and their property in the West Bank in October, the highest monthly total since 2006.

The Israeli military also reported killing someone in northern Gaza who “posed an immediate threat” to troops.

In Khan Younis in southern Gaza, families in the crowded Muwasi tent camp navigated flooded streets after the first heavy winter rainfall since Friday. Water leaked through torn tents, soaking belongings. Children splashed barefoot or in sandals and rode bikes through the water.

“Our bathroom is made of fabric. Everything is made of fabric, and it’s worn out from the sun, so the rain pours down on us. It’s indescribable suffering,” said displaced Palestinian Abdallah Abu Quta.