Netanyahu told Biden Gaza plans clash with 'Palestinian sovereignty', statement says

On Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seemed to resist U.S. President Joe Biden's comments on Palestinian statehood following the Gaza conflict with Hamas. Biden had suggested discussing potential solutions for an independent Palestinian state with a non-militarized government. In response, Netanyahu emphasized his stance that, after dismantling Hamas, Israel must maintain security control over Gaza to prevent it from posing a threat. The statement from the Israeli prime minister's office indicated a conflict between this security requirement and the demand for Palestinian sovereignty.

When asked if Netanyahu opposed any form of Palestinian statehood, his office did not provide an immediate response. Biden's recent call with Netanyahu marked their first conversation in nearly a month. While Biden asserted that a two-state solution was not "impossible" during Netanyahu's tenure, he acknowledged different possible approaches and stated that Netanyahu wasn't categorically against all two-state solutions.

Although Netanyahu has not explicitly rejected Palestinian statehood, he emphasized the necessity for Israel to retain security control over the entire territory West of the Jordan River in any foreseeable arrangement, even if it contradicts the principle of sovereignty. Peace talks for the U.S.-backed "two-state solution" collapsed a decade ago, and the U.S. State Department's Matthew Miller recently highlighted the need for a Palestinian state to address both Israel's long-term security challenges and the short-term tasks of Gaza's reconstruction. Miller mentioned an opportunity for Israel, as regional countries were prepared to offer security assurances.

बयान में कहा गया है, नेतन्याहू ने बिडेन को बताया कि गाजा की योजना 'फिलिस्तीनी संप्रभुता' से टकराव की है