The Israeli cabinet on Sunday rejected the establishment of a “Palestinian State,” as reportedly being proposed by President Joe Biden’s administration. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu-led wartime secutiry cabinet unanimously passed a resolution opposing ‘international dictates’ that call for ‘a huge reward to terrorism’ barely four months after Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists murdered more than 1200 Israelis and kidnapped 250 others.
The stern Israeli rejection comes after recent media reports suggesting that the Biden administration was working with Arabs countries to establish a Palestinian State with its capital in East Jerusalem.
The Biden White House seems to be in a great rush to roll out the plan which was apparently hatched behind Israel’s back as the country conducts military operations in Gaza to liberate remaining hostages.
“The Biden administration and a small group of Middle East partners are rushing to complete … a firm timeline for the establishment of a Palestinian state, that could be announced as early as the next several weeks,” The Washington Post reported Wednesday.
The Jerusalem Post reported the Israeli cabinet resolution:
The Israeli government formally rejected any attempts by Western countries to unilaterally recognize Palestinian statehood as it issued a formal statement Sunday against such a move.“Israel outright rejects international dictates regarding a final status agreement with the Palestinians. The agreement, in so far as it will be reached, will be solely through direct negotiations between the parties, without preconditions,” the government said in a statement on the issue after its Sunday meeting.“Israel will continue to oppose the unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. Such recognition in the wake of the October 7th massacre would give a huge reward to unprecedented terrorism and prevent any future peace agreement,” the statement emphasized.It stopped short of renouncing any Palestinian statehood attempts. It focused instead on this newest drive in the wake of the Hamas-led October 7 attack against Israel, in which over 1,200 people were killed and another 253 seized as hostages.
In a step towards “statehood,” the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority (PA) is seeking to set up a unity government with Hamas and other terrorist groups. Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh announced — in Munich, Germany of all place — that Palestinian groups, including Hamas representatives, will meet in Moscow later this month to kick off unity talks.
The Israeli TV channel i24NEWS reported:
In a bid to foster unity among Palestinian factions, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has indicated a willingness to engage in discussions with the Hamas terror group.Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Shtayyeh revealed that talks, possibly slated for February 26 in Moscow, could provide a platform for reconciliation efforts.”We are prepared to engage. If Hamas is willing to join us, that’s positive. We need Palestinian unity,” asserted Shtayyeh. However, he emphasized that certain conditions must be met by Hamas for any collaboration to materialize.Addressing concerns regarding potential collaboration with Hamas, particularly in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks, Shtayyeh urged observers to shift their focus away from past conflicts.”One should not continue focusing on October 7,” he urged.
Nearly sixteen weeks into the Gaza ground operation, the Israeli military is preparing the capture the Hamas’s southernmost stronghold of Rafah. The IDF is eliminating terrorists and dismantling underground tunnels in Khan Yunis, paving the way for an offensive in Rafah. Hamas’s Gaza-based leadership is believed to be hiding in the area, surrounded by Israeli hostages as human shields.
The Israeli government is committed to overthrowing the last Hamas terror stronghold of Rafah, despite enormous pressure from the Biden White House, United Nations and European powers. “There is no substitute for total victory and there is no other way to do it than eliminating the [terrorist] battalions in Rafah,” Prime Minister Netanyahu declared Saturday evening.
Hamas is losing control over its terrorist fighting force in Khan Yunis, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant disclosed Sunday. “The deepening of military activities in Khan Younis continues to bear fruit. Two-hundred terrorists have surrendered at Nasser hospital, dozens [of terrorists] have surrendered at Amal hospital – this shows that they [Hamas] have lost their fighting spirit. Terrorists armed with RPGs, weapons and guns, [faced the IDF] and did not fight back. They [Hamas terrorists] understood that their options were to surrender or die,” Defense Minister Gallant said.
“The Khan Younis brigade has been defeated and no longer functions as a military entity. Hamas is left with forces in the central area of Gaza, and the Rafah brigade. The only thing required for their total collapse as a military system, is the IDF’s decision. There is no one here to come to their aid – no Iranians and no international assistance, ” he added.
The IDF disclosed the ongoing military operations in a press release on Sunday:
IDF troops are continuing to operate in western Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. Over the past day, the troops conducted targeted raids on terrorist infrastructure, killed terrorists, and located large quantities of weapons in the area.Additionally in Khan Yunis, IDF troops located weapons and killed approximately 20 terrorists by tank fire over the past day. The troops directed an aircraft which struck and killed terrorists in the area. IDF troops also conducted targeted raids on military compounds and located weapons, including explosive devices and RPG missiles intended to be used in attacks on IDF troops.
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