The Knesset voted late Wednesday night to oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state, just days before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits Washington, where he is scheduled to address Congress.
Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Shas party leader Aryeh Deri did not participate in the vote, though members of Deri's party supported the resolution introduced by opposition MK Ze'ev Elkin (National Unity Party).
The resolution passed with a decisive majority of 68-9, with opposition from Arab parties. The vote also revealed rifts within the opposition; while Elkin’s faction backed the measure, MKs from Yesh Atid, Labor and National Unity’s Gadi Eisenkot were absent.
Most members of the National Unity Party, led by former defense minister Benny Gantz, supported the declaration, which received broad backing from coalition members across all factions. The resolution cements the Knesset’s stance against the creation of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River, reinforcing its long-standing opposition.
In February, the Knesset declared its opposition to unilateral international recognition of a Palestinian state. Despite this, several European countries, including Spain, Norway and Ireland, have since officially recognized a Palestinian state.
National Unity MK Gideon Sa’ar, whose party member Elkin introduced the resolution, said, “The decision is intended to express the widespread opposition among the public to the establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger Israel’s security and future. The decision signals to the international community that pressures to impose a Palestinian state on Israel will be futile.”
The full text of the proposal read, "The Knesset of Israel firmly opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River. The creation of a Palestinian state in the heart of Israel would pose an existential threat to the State of Israel and its citizens, perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and destabilize the region.
"It would only be a matter of time before Hamas takes over the Palestinian state and transforms it into a radical Islamic terror base, operating in coordination with the Iran-led axis, to destroy the State of Israel.
"Advancing the idea of a Palestinian state would reward terrorism and only embolden Hamas and its supporters, who would view it as a victory stemming from the massacre of October 7, 2023, and a prelude to jihadist Islam's takeover of the Middle East."