17 June 2020; MEMO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he would never recognise a Palestinian state, senior Likud MK Miki Zohar revealed yesterday.
According to the Times of Israel, Zohar tweeted: “The prime minister announced yesterday [Monday] at the faction meeting that in no constellation will the government or the Knesset recognise the principle of establishing a Palestinian state.”
Netanyahu, according to Zohar, stressed: “We will never recognise a Palestinian state!”
The Times of Israel said Netanyahu’s remarks came amid criticism from settler leaders who claim that his annexation plan would pave the way for a Palestinian state as envisioned by the US President Donald Trump’s “peace deal” dubbed the ‘deal of the century’.
Tump’s administration has indicated that it would accept Netanyahu’s annexation should he agreed on the creation of a Palestinian state on the remaining parts of the occupied West Bank.
At the same time, Zohar said that if the US insisted on the recognition of a Palestinian state, Israel would give up on annexation.
The Israeli government is planning to annex the Jordan Valley and settlements in the West Bank on 1 July.
Palestinian estimates indicate that the Israeli annexation plan will cover more than 30 per cent of the West Bank.
In response to his announcement, the Palestinian Authority said that it is no longer bound by all agreements with Israel, including those relating to security.
