2LT International News

JERUSALEM – In a desperate bit to hang on to the Israeli prime ministership, Benjamin Netanyahu has sunk the aspirations of the Palestinian people for their own state.

While successive Israeli governments, including Mr Netanyahu's, have publicly supported a separate Palestinian state, and the President George W Bush Road Map for a two-state solution, the reality has been far different.

In a series of interviews given to print and electronic media in recent days and amplified in a network of interviews on Sunday, Mr Netanyahu admitted he has never supported a Palestinian state, and will not allow Jerusalem to be divided.

He says he intends to annex West Bank settlements and and will never allow full statehood for the remainder of lands.

"I want to do it gradually. I want to do it if possible with American support," he told Arutz Sheva on Sunday.

Asked if the Trump administration knew about his plans, Netanyahu replied, "Sure." Asked what their reaction was, he responded "They will react as they will react. We will see. These are my principles."

In an interview with the editor of conservative Israeli weekly Makor Rishon, editor Hagai Segal asked if Palestinian sovereignty could extend to any part of the existing settlements.

"Certainly not. Not even a single one. Governance west of the Jordan River will remain in our hands. We have the responsibility for governing from a security point of view over the entire area. That is our condition. We will not commit suicide to win a positive article in the New York Times, which will not last more than two hours," the Israeli PM said. 

Asked by Segal "So what will the Palestinians get from you?"

‘'They will run their own lives," the prime minister responded. "We have no interest in running Nablus. As far as I'm concerned, there are three iron conditions: No settlers are displaced and secondly, we are sovereign from a security point of view in the entire area west of the Jordan River. Third, I will not divide Jerusalem."

And if Trump were to demand recognition of a Palestinian state, and were to say that after everything he did for Israel, Israel must acquiesce, Segal asked?

"There will be no Palestinian state. Former Vice President Joe Biden told me at the time that given all the conditions I have, regarding maintaining security in our hands, maintaining the settlements and not dividing Jerusalem, there can be no Palestinian state, Mr Netanyahu said. "I said to him, "That is correct". These are my positions. These are the three principles that I will not give up on. I told Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt the same."

The Israeli prime minister, who is seeking a fifth term, reaffirmed his vow not to uproot settlements. "If we do not tear out the settlers, then who are they going to live under? They are going to be under Palestinian sovereignty? That is dead."

In an interview with Army Radio, the prime minister said the Palestinians will govern themselves, but they will not have security control.

"A Palestinian state will not be created, not like the one people are talking about. It won’t happen," he said.

In the past, the prime minister has talked of a 'demilitarized' Palestinian state, somewhat like what the United States established for the Indians back in the day – a reservation.

"The Palestinians can have all the powers to govern themselves, but none to threaten us, which means we maintain security control. We don’t uproot anyone. We don’t divide Jerusalem," Mr Netanyahu told Arutz 7.

PLO Secretary-General and Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Sunday he was not surprised by Mr Netanyahu’s remarks. Israel, he said, "will continue to brazenly violate international law for as long as the international community will continue to reward Israel with impunity, particularly with the Trump administration’s support and endorsement of Israel’s violation of the national and human rights of the people of Palestine."

Western countries have not reacted to the statements. Turkey however has slammed the West, saying it must make a stand.

"Will Western democracies react or will they keep appeasing? Shame on them all," Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Sunday.

"This is yet another example of how Netanyahu uses electoral politics to justify occupation and undermine the two-state solution. If he is reelected, will this be a triumph of democracy or occupation?"

The Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in a tweet posted on Sunday, said: "The West Bank is Palestinian territory occupied by Israel in violation of international law. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s irresponsible statement to seek votes just before the Israeli general elections cannot and will not change this fact."