Israeli parliament votes overwhelmingly to reject Palestinian state

Israel’s parliament has overwhelmingly backed a resolution rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state.

A resolution put forward by the right-wing opposition party New Hope-United Right faction claimed that “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 destabilise the region”.

It was backed by 68 Knesset members, including some from Benny Gantz’s centrist National Unity Party.

The resolution was put forward by Ze’ev Elkin, of the New Hope-National Right, with support from the Yisrael Beiteinu Party and the Land of Israel Caucus. It was passed by 68 votes to 9.

Far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, of the Religious Zionism party, celebrated the result, tweeting that “the Knesset voted against the establishment of an Arab terror state in Israel, not now, not in the future, not unilaterally, and not within an agreement”.

Nine Knesset members from Arab parties opposed the proposal, and members of the Labour Party abstained from voting.

The Peace Now organisation called the vote “populist, harmful, and damaging to the chances of a regional agreement and ending the war”.

Among the stated goals of the Land of Israel Caucus is to strengthen Israeli control of “Judea and Samaria”. It also has support from within Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition.

After the vote Gantz’s National Unity Party issued a statement claiming that “the party voted in favour of the motion expressing opposition to a Palestinian state”.

It was also claimed that recognition would only serve as a “reward” for Hamas, in the aftermath of 7 October.