Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected last Thursday night, any international recognition of a Palestinian state, outside the framework of direct peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. He argued that any such initiative would “offer a huge reward to terrorism”.

Two influential far-right Israeli government ministers, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, have already rejected the terms of a plan for it, the US newspaper Washington Post reported.

The report said the US, Israel’s main ally, and Arab countries close to Washington are drawing up a comprehensive plan for lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians after the Israel/Hamas war ends.

“Israel will continue to oppose the unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. Any such recognition, after the October 7 massacre, would offer a huge reward to unprecedented terrorism and prevent any future peace agreement,” Mr. Netanyahu stressed in Hebrew via X (the former Twitter).

“Israel categorically rejects international diktats regarding a permanent settlement with the Palestinians,” he added, reiterating that a peace deal will only result from “direct negotiations without preconditions.”

The implementation of the plan referred to by the Washington Post would begin with a ceasefire “expected to last at least six weeks”. The newspaper cited US and Arab officials as saying they hoped a deal would be reached before March 10, the day Ramadan begins.

It includes a cessation of hostilities, the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas in the October 7 attack and held in the Gaza Strip since then, and a timetable for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

“We will never give our approval to such a plan, which in effect says that the Palestinians deserve a reward for the horrific carnage they have committed,” Mr Smotrich countered via X, calling the establishment of a Palestinian state “an existential threat to the state of Israel ».