Daijiworld Media Network – Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Nov 17: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday reaffirmed his hardline stance on Gaza, declaring that Hamas will be “disarmed, the easy way or the hard way,” ahead of the UN Security Council vote on a resolution endorsing US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for the region.
Speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said Israel’s position remains unchanged. “Our opposition to a Palestinian state in any territory has not changed. Gaza will be demilitarised, and Hamas will be disarmed, the easy way or the hard way,” he asserted.
The remark came a day before the Security Council is set to vote on Trump’s proposal, which includes creating a “Board of Peace” in Gaza to oversee post-war reconstruction and economic recovery. The 20-step ceasefire plan mandates the demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip and calls on Hamas to disarm — a step the group has not fully accepted.
Netanyahu dismissed concerns raised over the alleged “non-demilitarisation” of Hamas-controlled areas, saying, “There will be no such thing. This territory will be demilitarised… this is what President Trump also said.”
On the question of Palestinian statehood, Netanyahu remained firm. “Our opposition to a Palestinian state anywhere west of the Jordan River exists and has not changed even a bit,” he said, adding that he has resisted such pressures “for decades.”
The prime minister’s comments come amid criticism from within his own coalition. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich accused him of not responding strongly enough to recent moves by Western nations to recognise a Palestinian state. “Make it clear to the world — no Palestinian state will ever arise,” Smotrich urged on X.
Netanyahu hit back indirectly, saying he needed no “affirmations, tweets or lectures from anyone.” Other ministers echoed similar sentiments. Defence Minister Israel Katz wrote, “Israel’s policy is clear: no Palestinian state will be established.” Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the country “will not agree to the establishment of a Palestinian terror state.”
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir went even further, calling Palestinian identity an “invention.”
Meanwhile, the first phase of the US-backed ceasefire has concluded, with Israel securing the release of the last 20 living hostages and nearly all 28 bodies held by Palestinian militants. In return, Israel released close to 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and handed over 330 bodies.