Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that no Palestinian state will be established west of the Jordan River, rejecting recognition moves by Western governments including Canada, Australia, and the UK.
In a statement before travelling to the United States for the UN General Assembly, Netanyahu said:
“I have a clear message to those leaders who recognise a Palestinian state after the terrible massacre of October 7. You are giving a huge reward to terrorism. And I have another message for you. It will not happen. There will be no Palestinian state west of the Jordan.”
Netanyahu added that he had resisted domestic and international pressure for years to accept Palestinian statehood. “For years, I have prevented the establishment of this terrorist state in the face of enormous pressure, both domestic and foreign. We did it with determination and we did it with political wisdom,” he said.
The prime minister also highlighted settlement expansion in the West Bank, Israel calls it Judea and Samaria. “Not only that. We doubled Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria and we will continue on this path,” he said.
He concluded by warning that Israel’s response to what he called “the latest attempt to impose a terrorist state” would come after his return from the United States: “The response to the latest attempt to impose a terrorist state on us in the heart of our country, this response will be given after the US returns. We will wait.”
The remarks came as several G7 nations announced recognition of Palestine. Canada and Australia confirmed their decisions on Sunday, while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer formally declared recognition in London. The coordinated moves mark a significant shift in Western policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.