Knesset votes 68-9 for resolution against Palestinian state
The motion opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state “on any piece of land west of the Jordan River.”
JNS Staff
(JNS)
The Knesset plenum voted overwhelmingly late Wednesday night in favor of a resolution rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The initiative passed with 68 for and 9 against and reportedly marks the first time in history that Israel’s parliament has passed this type of resolution.
כנסת ישראל מתנגדת באופן נחרץ להקמת מדינה פלסטינית ממערב לירדן.
הקמת מדינה פלסטינית בלב ארץ ישראל תהווה סכנה קיומית למדינת ישראל ולאזרחיה, תנציח את הסכסוך הישראלי-פלסטיני ותערער את היציבות באזור.
זאת תהיה רק שאלה של זמן קצר עד שחמאס ישתלט על המדינה הפלסטינית ויהפוך אותה לבסיס… pic.twitter.com/C82nXrznuc— Zeev Elkin (@zeev_elkin) July 17, 2024
It was put forward by MK Ze’ev Elkin of the New Hope-National Right party with support from the Yisrael Beiteinu party and the Land of Israel Caucus, whose mission is to strengthen Israeli control of Judea and Samaria and which includes members from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition as well as Benny Gantz‘s centrist National Unity party.
The Land of Israel Caucus is co-chaired by MKs Simcha Rothman, Yuli Edelstein and Limor Son Har Melech.
“The Israeli Knesset opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state on any piece of land west of the Jordan River. The existence of a Palestinian state in the heart of Israel will pose an existential threat to the State of Israel and its citizens, will further extend the Israel-Palestinian Arab conflict and be a source of destabilization for the entire region,” the resolution states.
“It will be only a matter of time before Hamas takes over such a Palestinian state and turns it into a base for radical Islamic terrorism in full alignment with the Iranian regime that aims to eradicate the State of Israel.”
The motion concludes: “Supporting Palestinian statehood at this time would reward terrorism and serve to encourage Hamas and its supporters. Israel’s enemies will interpret it as the victorious outcome of the massacre perpetrated on October 7th and a precursor to the conquest of jihadist Islamism of the entire Middle East.”
The National Unity party issued a statement after the resolution passed explaining why they supported it. In addition to Gantz, Michael Biton, Pnina Tameno-Shete, and Chili Tropper voted in favor.
“After October 7, the appalling day that terrorists kidnapped, murdered and raped our citizens, any recognition of a Palestinian state would be a reward for terrorism and Hamas,” the party said.
The Knesset plenum in February voted 99-11 to back the government’s decision to reject any unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood.
All coalition lawmakers and most members of the opposition Yesh Atid, National Unity and Yisrael Beiteinu parties voted in favor of supporting the Cabinet statement against “international diktats regarding a permanent settlement with the Palestinians.”
The Labor Party boycotted the vote and its members were not in attendance. The Arab parties voted against the measure.
Image: Ze’ev Elkin speaks on May 18 2020. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90
