Netanyahu Vows to Block a Palestinian State as U.N. Prepares Vote on Gaza Stabilization Force

TEL AVIV — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday reaffirmed Israel’s firm opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state, a day before the U.N. Security Council prepared to vote on a U.S.-drafted resolution on Gaza that keeps the possibility of Palestinian independence open.

Netanyahu has long argued that a Palestinian state would reward Hamas and could eventually produce a larger, Hamas-run polity on Israel’s border. As Washington presses a cease-fire and stabilization plan for Gaza, Netanyahu faces growing international pressure to show flexibility.

The U.N. Security Council was set to consider a U.S. proposal to authorize an international stabilization force in Gaza despite opposition from Russia, China and some Arab states. Under pressure from countries that might contribute troops, U.S. drafters revised the text to include stronger language on Palestinian self-determination, saying President Donald Trump’s plan could create a “credible pathway” to statehood. A competing Russian proposal uses even firmer language in favor of Palestinian independence.

Hamas and other Palestinian factions denounced the U.S. draft as an attempt to impose an international mandate on Gaza that they say favors Israel and strips Palestinians of control over their own affairs. The groups also rejected any language calling for the disarmament of Gaza and demanded the force exclude Israel and be under direct U.N. supervision.

Netanyahu emphasized that the U.S. draft calls for Gaza to be demilitarized and for Hamas to be disarmed, telling his Cabinet:

“Either this will happen the easy way, or it will happen the hard way.”

He said Israel’s opposition to a Palestinian state “has not changed one bit” and will not be swayed by outside or internal pressure.

Rise in settler violence in the West Bank

Netanyahu also addressed a recent surge in attacks by Jewish settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, calling the violence the work of a small minority. Palestinian officials and human rights groups say the violence is widespread and accuse the government of turning a blind eye.

Palestinian health officials reported that a 19-year-old man was the seventh person killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank over the past two weeks. The Israeli military said its forces were operating in Nablus when troops came under attack and fired in response, and also reported killing a person in the Far’a area who it said attempted to harm soldiers. There was no immediate comment from Palestinian authorities.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said six teenagers, ages 15 to 17, were shot and killed by Israeli fire in four separate incidents over the past two weeks. U.N. officials say more than 260 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians and their property were recorded in the West Bank in October — the highest monthly total since 2006.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that the escalation in the West Bank “could undermine what we’re doing in Gaza.”

Gaza updates

Israel’s military said its troops on Sunday killed a person who crossed into territory they control in northern Gaza and “posed an immediate threat to them.” In Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, displaced families in the crowded Muwasi tent camp waded through flooded lanes after the season’s first heavy rainfall. Rainwater leaked through torn canvas into people’s belongings, compounding the hardships of those displaced by the war.

“Our bathroom is made of fabric. Everything is made of fabric, and it’s worn out from the sun, so the rain pours down on us. It’s indescribable suffering,” said displaced Palestinian Abdallah Abu Quta.

The situation remains fluid as international diplomacy, military operations and humanitarian concerns intersect. The Security Council vote and reactions from regional actors will shape the next phase of efforts to stabilize Gaza and address the longer-term question of Palestinian statehood.