Last-minute Push: Israel Presses US to Remove Palestinian Statehood Language Ahead of UN Security Council Vote

Israel seeks to strip wording on Palestinian statehood from UN draft ahead of vote

Israel launched a last-minute diplomatic effort to persuade the United States to remove language suggesting a "credible pathway" to Palestinian statehood from a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) draft resolution tied to the next phase of Donald Trump’s Gaza plan.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his cabinet the government’s opposition to a Palestinian state "has not changed one bit," as the UNSC prepared to vote on a U.S.-drafted text that would authorize a transitional administration and an international stabilisation force (ISF) in Gaza.

Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that Netanyahu’s office and officials from the Foreign Ministry had engaged in intensive talks with U.S. counterparts in the final hours before the vote. The U.S. version of the draft had been amended under pressure from Arab and Muslim countries expected to contribute troops to the ISF to include clearer language on Palestinian self-determination.

The draft now states that "conditions may be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood" once reforms of the Palestinian Authority are "faithfully carried out and Gaza redevelopment has advanced." Critics say Palestinian voices and aspirations have been sidelined throughout the rollout of the plan.

Regional and international reactions

A joint statement from eight countries — Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan and Turkey — urged the 15-member UNSC to adopt the draft swiftly. Potential troop contributors have said a UN mandate is essential for their participation in the ISF.

Israel has already announced it will not accept Turkey playing any on-the-ground role. Turkey has strongly criticized Israeli actions in Gaza and, in recent months, issued arrest warrants accusing several Israeli officials of alleged crimes, including charges described by Turkish authorities as genocide.

Russia circulated a rival resolution that uses stronger language on Palestinian statehood and calls for the occupied West Bank and Gaza to form a contiguous state under the Palestinian Authority. Russia’s UN mission said its aim was to "amend the US concept and bring it into conformity" with prior Security Council decisions, while stressing it did not intend to contradict the mediators who helped achieve the ceasefire.

Domestic stakes in Israel

There is also a significant domestic political risk for Netanyahu. A far-right walkout over the ceasefire plan — which the U.S. has publicly championed — could topple his right-wing coalition well before the next scheduled election, due by October 2026.

Several senior Israeli ministers publicly rejected any language that could be read as endorsing a Palestinian state. Defence Minister Israel Katz wrote on X:

"Israel’s policy is clear: no Palestinian state will be established."

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the prospect as the establishment of a "Palestinian terror state," while National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir dismissed Palestinian national identity as an "invention." Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich — a prominent backer of the settler movement — urged a decisive response to make Israel's position clear internationally.

Ceasefire, casualties and vote outlook

The resolution would endorse the second phase of the 20-point plan tied to the ceasefire that took effect on October 10. According to multiple reports cited in the original coverage, the two-year conflict has resulted in heavy Palestinian casualties, with figures cited near 70,000; international observers and humanitarian groups have repeatedly raised concerns about civilian suffering.

The UNSC vote was expected to reach the nine votes needed for adoption, with likely abstentions from Russia and China. Diplomatic jockeying continued as member states weighed participation in the ISF, the text’s wording on statehood, and how the resolution aligns with prior Council decisions.