The Israeli parliament (Knesset). (Photo: By U.S. Embassy Jerusalem – DAZ_0762PS, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=131480378)
“It is a Zionist affirmation of the ongoing policy of denial of the rights of our Palestinian people”.
Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, has voted to pass a resolution rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Passed by 68 – 9 votes, the resolution “firmly opposes” the establishment of a Palestinian state “west of Jordan” as it posed “an existential danger” to Israel.
“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,” the resolution stated.
It added that it would “only be a matter of of a short time until Hamas takes over the Palestinian state and turns it into a radical Islamic terror base, working in coordination with the Iranian-led axis to eliminate the State of Israel.”
The “promotion” of the idea of a Palestinian state at this time “will be a reward for terrorism,” it said.
The vote on Thursday comes just days before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the US to meet with President Joe Biden and to address a joint sitting of Congress.
Co-sponsored by parties in Netanyahu’s coalition and right-wing parties from the opposition, the resolution “even received support from Benny Gantz’s centrist National Unity party,” reported The Times of Israel.
In February, the Knesset voted in favor of a government decision to reject unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.
‘Disdain for UN’s Decision’
The Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas called the resolution “an invalid decision” that it said was “issued by an occupying entity that has no legitimacy on Palestinian land.”
“It is a zionist affirmation of the ongoing policy of denial of the rights of our Palestinian people and their right, as guaranteed by international law, to self-determination like the rest of the peoples of the world,” Hamas said in a statement on Thursday.
The movement affirmed that the “Palestinian people will continue their resistance, struggle, and legitimate defense of their existence” and that they would “reclaim their right to establish their independent state and will continue their path to thwart all plans of displacement and erasure of Palestinian national identity.”
“This audacious decision is a challenge to the international community and a disdain for the decisions of the United Nations General Assembly that supported granting Palestine full membership in the United Nations,” Hamas said, adding that it “necessitates a serious international movement to halt these criminal decisions and actions and to enable our Palestinian people to achieve all their rights.”
The Israeli Knesset’s decision yesterday, with a majority of 68 votes, to exclude and prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state and consider its establishment an existential threat to Israel, confirms the racism of the occupying state and its disregard for international… https://t.co/SnY8XyoVyZ
— حسين الشيخ Hussein AlSheikh (@HusseinSheikhpl) July 18, 2024
Call to PLO
In a later statement on Thursday, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad movements called on the leadership of the PLO to withdraw its recognition of the Israeli state.
The announcement was made during a meeting between the leadership of both movements in Doha with Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau and Ziyad Al-Nakhaleh, the Secretary-General of the Islamic Jihad Movement, and his deputy Dr Mohammad Al-Hindi.
They said in a statement that in light of the Knesset’s decision “the national collective is required today to take a unified stance to confront these attempts to erase the Palestinian cause, building on the achievements of the battle.”
The movements called on the leadership of the PLO “to withdraw its recognition of the zionist entity, reaffirming at the same time our people’s right to establish their independent state with Al-Quds as its capital, and the right of return for refugees.”
‘Racism’
Hussein al-Sheikh, the secretary-general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and reportedly a top aide to Mahmoud Abbas, said on X that the Knesset’s decision “confirms the racism of the occupying state and its disregard for international law and international legitimacy.”
He called on “countries of the world that “are hesitant to recognize the State of Palestine” to recognize it “immediately.”
Last month, Armenia became the latest country to recognize a Palestinian state. Armenia follows in the steps of Slovenia, Spain, Norway and Ireland.
In May, 143 of the 193 United Nations General Assembly members voted in favour of a Palestinian bid to become a full member of the UN.
Nine countries, including the US and Israel – voted against the bid, while 25 countries abstained.
(PC, Anadolu)
Source: Palestine Chronicle
