Israel’s Ben-Gvir Calls for Killing Palestinian Officials if UN Approves Palestinian Statehood
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Monday urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to arrest Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas if the UN Security Council approves a resolution recognizing Palestinian statehood, according to Al-Arabiya.
“If they accelerate the recognition of this fabricated state, if the UN recognizes this, you Mr. Prime Minister, must order targeted assassinations of senior Palestinian Authority officials, who are terrorists in every way, and you… must order the arrest of Abu Mazen (Abbas),” Ben Gvir said during a press conference at the Knesset.
The Security Council voted on Monday in favor of a draft resolution proposed by Washington supporting US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan to ensure security and stability in the Palestinian enclave.
The current draft differs from the previous versions of the resolution as it features the possibility of establishing a future Palestinian state.
Palestinian Authority Reaction
The Palestinian Authority has strongly denounced Ben-Gvir’s call, describing it as “systematic incitement.”
“The State of Palestine affirms that such systematic incitement reveals a political mentality that rejects peace and threatens regional and international security,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Moreover, it called on countries to put an urgent end to this escalation, “activate accountability mechanisms and reject the use of terroristic language and incitement as tools of governance.”
Crucially, the resolution would grant the Security Council a green light to form a transitional administration and a temporary international security force in Gaza. This would pave the way for the second phase of the US-brokered deal reached in October after the two-year war that tore Gaza apart.
Israel has unanimously dismissed any possibility of a Palestinian statehood. On Sunday, Netanyahu stated that his country’s opposition to a Palestinian state on any territory has not changed.
Related Topics:
Macron Draws ‘Red Line’ on Any Israeli Annexation in West Bank
Saudi Arabia Blasts Ben-Gvir’s Al-Aqsa Provocation
Knesset Passes First Reading of Controversial Death Penalty Bill
