Worthy Christian News > Israel-Palestinian Conflict > Israel Lawmakers Overwhelmingly Reject Palestinian State

Israel Lawmakers Overwhelmingly Reject Palestinian State

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Israel’s parliament (the Knesset) has voted overwhelmingly to reject a Palestinian state, even if that state were part of a negotiated settlement with the Jewish nation, the Times of Israel (TOI) reports.

The Israeli lawmakers’ resounding rejection of the type of two-state solution advocated by Israel’s main ally and sponsor, the United States, came through a 68-9 vote approving a resolution against the establishment of a Palestinian state, TOI reports.

The resolution was introduced by Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition but was supported by Benny Gantz’s centrist National Unity party, TOI reports. Lawmakers from the Yesh Atid center-left opposition party left the plenum and abstained from the vote while lawmakers from the Labor party and from the Ra’am and Hadash-Ta’al Arab parties voted against the resolution.

Approved on Wednesday night (July 17), the resolution passed just days before PM Benjamin Netanyahu travels to the US to address Congress and meet with President Biden at the White House.

“The Knesset of Israel firmly opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state west of Jordan. The establishment of a Palestinian state in the heart of the Land of Israel will pose an existential danger to the State of Israel and its citizens, perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and destabilize the region,” the resolution states.

“It will only be a matter of a short time until Hamas takes over the Palestinian state and turns it into a radical Islamic terror base, working in coordination with the Iranian-led axis to eliminate the State of Israel,” the resolution continues.

“Promoting the idea of ​​a Palestinian state at this time will be a reward for terrorism and will only encourage Hamas and its supporters to see this as a victory, thanks to the massacre of October 7, 2023, and a prelude to the takeover of jihadist Islam in the Middle East.”