Netanyahu Stands Firm Against Palestinian State Amid Coalition Tensions

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel's opposition to a Palestinian state, facing pressure from far-right coalition allies. The disagreement follows a U.S.-backed U.N. draft resolution supporting Trump's Gaza peace plan, proposing pathways to Palestinian statehood, which angered Israeli hardliners threatening coalition stability.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated Israel's opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state following internal protests from his far-right coalition allies. The opposition comes in the wake of a U.S.-backed U.N. draft resolution supporting a pathway to Palestinian independence, part of President Donald Trump's proposed peace plan for Gaza.

The draft, under negotiation within the U.N. Security Council, includes a transitional administration for Gaza, aiming to address issues like post-war reconstruction and economic recovery. This proposal has sparked backlash from Israeli far-right factions, placing Netanyahu's coalition under strain, as key figures insist on the rejection of Palestinian statehood.

The political discord threatens the stability of Netanyahu's government, with far-right leaders Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich voicing strong objections and demanding the prime minister's public denouncement of the notion of Palestinian statehood, a move that could potentially dismantle the coalition.

(With inputs from agencies.)