Israel’s Legislature Opposes Palestinian State in Historic Vote

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Israel’s legislature officially went on record Wednesday opposing a two-state solution, marking a historic vote amid growing international calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state as the war in Gaza continues. The resolution passed Israel’s Knesset overwhelmingly by a vote of 68-9, although many legislators in the 120-member body skipped the session so as not to be on record for such a significant issue. Barak Ravid, a journalist who covers Middle East politics, said it’s the “first time in history that the Knesset” passed such a resolution.

BREAKING: The Israeli Knesset passed a resolution opposing the two state solution. 68 members of Knesset (including Benny Gantz and his party) voted in favor. Only 9 members of Knesset voted against. This is the first time in history that the Knesset passes such a resolution

— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) July 17, 2024

A Palestinian state, the resolution said, would endanger Israel’s existence.

“The Knesset of Israel firmly opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state west of Jordan,” the resolution said, according to AllIsrael.com. “The establishment of a Palestinian state in the heart of the Land of Israel will pose an existential danger to the State of Israel and its citizens, perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and destabilize the region.”

If a Palestinian state were established, the resolution said, it would “only be a matter of a short time until Hamas takes over the Palestinian state and turns it into a radical Islamic terrorist base, working in coordination with the axis led by Iran, to eliminate the State of Israel.”

“The promotion of the idea of the Palestinian state will be a reward for terrorism and will only encourage Hamas and its supporters who will see this as a victory thanks to the massacre of October 7, 2023 -- and a prelude to the takeover of jihadist Islam in the Middle East.”

President Biden backs a two-state solution. Republican nominee Donald Trump did, too, as president, but this year said the situation on the ground has changed, and “two states is going to be very, very tough.” 

Gideon Sa'ar, a member of the Knesset, said his hope is that the resolution “will prove to the international community that pressures to impose a Palestinian state on Israel will be futile.” 

David Friedman, ambassador to Israel during the Trump administration, applauded the resolution.

“Israel knows best what is in its own interests and what can and can’t be achieved,” Friedman wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “In this case, Israel recognized the obvious: there is no two-state solution.”

Israel knows best what is in its own interests and what can and can’t be achieved. In this case Israel recognized the obvious: there is no two-state solution.

Knesset votes overwhelmingly against Palestinian statehood, days before PM’s US trip https://t.co/QUw83jeLi6 via…

— David M Friedman (@DavidM_Friedman) July 18, 2024

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Amir Levy/Stringer

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel. 

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