Just before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flies for a state visit to Washington DC, where he will address Congress, the National Right party – led by Knesset member Gideon Sa'ar – spearheaded a move to outflank Netanyahu from the Right. The party brought before the Knesset a proposal that establishes the Knesset's position against the establishment of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River. The vote passed with a majority of 68 supporters and nine opponents. The prime minister was absent from the vote.
The full text of the proposal, initiated by Knesset members Ze'ev Elkin from the National Right party and Moshe Solomon from the Religious Zionism party, states, "The Knesset of Israel is firmly opposed to the establishment of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River. The establishment of a Palestinian state in the heart of the Land of Israel would constitute an existential threat to the State of Israel and its citizens, perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and undermine regional stability.
"It would only be a short matter of time before Hamas takes over the Palestinian state and turns it into a base of radical Islamic terrorism, coordinated with the Iran-led axis, to annihilate the State of Israel. Promoting the idea of a Palestinian state would reward terrorism and only encourage Hamas and its supporters, who would see it as a victory due to the Oct. 7 massacre and a prelude to a jihadist Islamic takeover of the Middle East."
The right-wing political parties welcomed the passage of the proposal, but it should be noted that it is merely declarative - and its approval does not prevent a future diplomatic move, should one come to fruition.
