Netanyahu says he told US that in any postwar scenario, he opposes Palestinian state: Israeli media

ISTANBUL, Türkiye

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he has told the United States that he opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state as part of any postwar scenario, said local media.

According to Israeli Channel 12, Netanyahu underscored the deep divisions between the close allies three months into Israel’s assault on Gaza aiming to eliminate its rulers from Palestinian group Hamas.

Netanyahu also pledged to continue the military campaign until Israel achieves a decisive victory over Hamas, something many analysts have said is impossible.

Netanyahu’s statement seems likely to widen a reportedly already large rift with its traditionally most loyal ally, the United States. US officials have reportedly been at odds with Israel behind the scenes in recent weeks, and the US has long favored a two-state solution for ending the bloodshed and tension in the region.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas, which Tel Aviv says killed around 1,200 people.

Some 25,000 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and around 62,000 others injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure was damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.