Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement in which he said the country will not recognize a Palestinian state under external pressure.
“My positions can be summarized in the following two sentences,” said Netanyahu, in a message published on X. “Israel categorically rejects international dictates regarding a permanent agreement with the Palestinians. Such an agreement will only be reached through direct negotiations between the parties, without preconditions.”
“Israel will continue to oppose unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. Such recognition in the wake of the October 7th massacre would give an enormous reward to unprecedented terrorism and impede any future peace agreement,” the Prime Minister added.
The statement was published after Netanyahu spoke for the second time this week by telephone with American President Joe Biden, one of those who advocate talks for the creation of a Palestinian state.
An official from the prime minister's office told The Times of Israel that the leaders discussed in the conversation the release of hostages from the terrorist group Hamas, the imminent ground incursion into the city of Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip, the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave and the next phase of the war.
This week, the NBC News website reported that Biden has expressed increasingly dissatisfaction with Netanyahu in private conversations.
Five sources said Biden accused the Israeli prime minister of “giving him hell” and said it was “impossible” to deal with him due to his refusal to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
The same sources stated that Biden has referred to Netanyahu in private with dismissive terms, such as “this guy”, or openly offensive terms, such as “asshole” (“asshole” or “idiot”).
On Sunday (11), according to the White House, Biden asked Netanyahu in a telephone conversation for a “credible and executable” plan to protect the civilian population of Rafah during the land incursion announced by Israel.
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