JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly criticised world leaders who recently recognised a Palestinian state.
His condemnation comes as he travels to the United States for White House discussions and a scheduled speech at the UN General Assembly.
The prime minister’s remarks follow a special summit led by France earlier this week where several Western governments formally recognised the State of Palestine.
Netanyahu is set to address the international assembly on Friday.
“At the General Assembly, I will speak our truth -- the truth of the citizens of Israel, the truth of the (Israeli) soldiers, the truth of our nation,“ Netanyahu stated at Ben Gurion airport before his departure.
“I will condemn those leaders who, instead of condemning the murderers, rapists and burners of children, want to give them a state in the heart of Israel.”
He firmly declared that such an outcome would not be allowed to happen.
Netanyahu had previously described the recent recognitions by Britain and France as carrying no obligation for Israel.
He characterised these diplomatic moves as a “shameful capitulation of some leaders to Palestinian terror”.
The prime minister confirmed he would hold his fourth meeting with US President Donald Trump during this Washington visit.
“I will discuss with him the great opportunities that our victories have brought, as well as our need to complete the goals of the war: to bring back all our hostages, to defeat Hamas and to expand the circle of peace that has opened up to us,“ Netanyahu explained.
US envoy Steve Witkoff indicated on Wednesday that a significant development regarding Gaza was anticipated soon.
He revealed that President Trump had presented a peace proposal to Arab and Islamic nations.
“We presented what we call the Trump 21-point plan for peace in the Mideast and Gaza,“ Witkoff announced.
The envoy expressed confidence about achieving diplomatic progress in the near future.
“I think it addresses Israeli concerns as well as the concerns of all the neighbours in the region,“ he commented without detailing the plan’s specific points.
“We’re hopeful, and I might say even confident, that in the coming days we’ll be able to announce some sort of breakthrough.”
Meanwhile, violence continued in Gaza with an Israeli air strike killing at least 11 people in a central Gaza home sheltering displaced civilians.
The territory’s civil defence spokesperson confirmed the casualties to AFP on Thursday.
Israeli military operations have intensified in recent weeks with a ground assault on Gaza City forcing massive civilian displacement.
Hundreds of thousands of residents have fled the territory’s largest urban centre amid the ongoing offensive. – AFP
