Israel national security minister urges targeted killings if UN advances Palestinian statehood
Israel's national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, said senior Palestinian Authority (PA) officials should be targeted if a pending United Nations vote advances recognition of a Palestinian state, multiple Israeli news outlets reported. The remarks, delivered at a meeting of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, prompted immediate condemnation from Palestinian officials and concern from international observers.
Ben-Gvir: 'If they accelerate the recognition of the Palestinian terrorist state, and the UN recognises a Palestinian state, targeted assassinations of senior Palestinian Authority officials, who are terrorists for all intents and purposes, should be ordered.'
Both the Palestinian Foreign Ministry and the Palestinian presidency issued separate statements condemning the comments. In a post on X, the Foreign Ministry called the remarks 'systematic incitement' by Israeli officials and urged the international community to take 'concrete measures' to hold Ben-Gvir accountable. The presidency said it held the Israeli government responsible for the minister's statements.
The comments came as the UN Security Council prepared to vote on a US-drafted Gaza ceasefire resolution that would back an international stabilisation force and proposes a 'credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.' Israeli leaders have sought to remove references to Palestinian statehood from the proposal, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reassured far-right coalition partners that he opposes establishing a Palestinian state under current PA leadership.
Ben-Gvir additionally said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas should be detained if the UN vote moves forward, claiming a solitary-confinement cell at Ketziot prison is 'ready for him.' He also reiterated a statement denying the existence of a distinct Palestinian people, describing Palestinians as 'a collection of immigrants from Arab countries to the land of Israel' — a characterization widely disputed and condemned by Palestinian leaders and international commentators.
Ben-Gvir's references to so-called 'voluntary migration' for Palestinians were criticized by opponents as echoing language that risks endorsing forcible displacement. Critics described his remarks as part of rhetoric that could inflame tensions and undermine prospects for dialogue.
Within Israel, officials from the far-right coalition, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich — who exerts significant influence over West Bank policy — have advocated measures such as annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank in response to growing international support for Palestinian statehood. Israeli authorities have also repeatedly stated they will not allow the PA to become the governing authority in Gaza.
The US proposal envisions a role for the PA in Gaza contingent on substantial reforms, with governance overseen by an international 'board of peace,' a technocratic Palestinian administration on the ground and a stabilisation force. Hamas and other armed factions in Gaza have criticised the draft UN resolution, warning it could pave the way for foreign control over Palestinian decision-making. They said humanitarian aid should be managed by Palestinian institutions under UN supervision, rejected disarming Gaza or curbing the right to resist, and demanded international mechanisms to hold Israel accountable for alleged rights abuses.
The exchange highlights heightened tensions surrounding the international debate on Palestinian statehood and the fragility of efforts to craft a ceasefire and post-conflict governance arrangements for Gaza. Ben-Gvir's public call for targeted killings has raised alarm among Palestinian leaders and rights groups, and could have diplomatic and legal repercussions if pursued or endorsed by state actors.
