Netanyahu rejects Palestinian state as Muslim countries hail Trump’s Gaza plan

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that he will not agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state, and emphasised that the issue is not included in the recent US-brokered Gaza ceasefire proposal. His remarks came just hours after US President Donald Trump unveiled a 20-point plan aimed at ending the ongoing Israeli military assault on Gaza.

Netanyahu stated, “Absolutely not, and it is not written in the agreement either. One thing is clear: we are firmly opposed to a Palestinian state. President Trump understands our position and has emphasised that such a move would reward terror and pose a danger to Israel. We will not agree to it.”

He added that Israeli forces will remain deployed in most parts of Gaza while pressuring Hamas to release all abducted individuals, both living and deceased.

The Israeli Prime Minister also described his recent diplomatic visit to the US as historic, saying that the visit allowed Israel to shift the focus from Hamas-led isolation to international pressure on the group to comply with Israel’s conditions.

In a separate development, Netanyahu apologised to Qatar over the recent Israeli airstrike on Doha, as confirmed by the Qatari Foreign Ministry. Reports indicate that Netanyahu contacted the Qatari Prime Minister from the White House following his meeting with Trump.

Meanwhile, several Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt, welcomed Trump’s ceasefire initiative, calling it a positive step toward halting the bloodshed in Gaza.

The plan, however, continues to face criticism from rights groups, particularly over Israel’s continued occupation and genocide in the Palestinian enclave.