The opinion expressed by the Israeli prime minister is that a Palestinian state can only be established through direct negotiations between partie representatives of Israel and Palestine. On Sunday, February 18, the Israeli government made a declarative decision in which it officially abandoned the act of unilaterally recognizing the Palestinian state. This was reported by Reuters.
Direct negotiations to create a Palestinian state: the position of the Israeli government
The document submitted to the vote by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasizes the necessity of direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine to achieve an agreement regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state. Speaking at his regular cabinet meeting, Netanyahu highlighted that the formalized stance considers the ongoing dialogue in the international arena concerning unilateral efforts aimed at imposing a Palestinian state on Israel.
Efforts to enact a resolution for the establishment of two separate states, Israel and Palestine, encompassing the West Bank and Gaza Strip, faced hindrance in 2014. President Joe Biden of the United States has been endeavoring to promote a comprehensive Middle East agreement whereby Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations would normalize relations with Israel, alongside advancing the concept of a Palestinian state.
However, the Israeli statement asserts that “Israel completely excludes international dictates to conclude a permanent agreement with the Palestinians” and that such an agreement could be the Outcome of direct talks between the involved parties “without any prior conditions.
Accord between Israel and Saudi Arabia: direct negotiations as the basis for peace in the Middle East”
Shortly after last year’s October 7 Hamas attack, which the document called a “massacre”, Recognition of a Palestinian state without mutual agreement or unilateral acknowledgment of a Palestinian state is considered a “major unprecedented reward” for terrorism.
Let us recall that earlier the chief diplomat of Saudi Arabia in his statement emphasized the importance of the Palestinian issue for his country. He noted that normalization of relations with Israel and support for the reconstruction of Gaza will only be possible if there is a proper path to creating a Palestinian state. For the Israeli government, this position is unacceptable, since they believe that direct negotiations between the parties should be the main means of achieving a peaceful resolution to the conflict. This approach is also supported by other countries who believe that direct negotiations are the key to sustainable peace in the region.
Among other facts, it should be noted that Saudi Arabia has traditionally been one of the key participants in Arab diplomacy and has significant influence in the Middle East region.
Its stance mirrors the prevailing sentiment among several Arab nations regarding the Palestinian matter and their eagerness to endorse the formation of a sovereign Palestinian state. At the same time, the lack of progress in resolving the conflict in the Middle East continues to create tension and impede the development of peaceful relations between the countries of the region.