Netanyahu Vows No Palestinian State Under His Leadership, Criticizes Opposition and Muslim Brotherhood Allies

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a strong statement on Monday responding to Ra'am party leader Mansour Abbas's claim that "Palestine is alive and exists." Netanyahu firmly declared that as long as he remains prime minister, no Palestinian state controlled by Iran will be established, neither in Gaza nor in the West Bank. He emphasized this with the phrase, "Period."

Netanyahu also sharply criticized opposition leaders and their political partners, accusing them of forming a "left-wing coalition with the Muslim Brotherhood." He named Gadi Eizenkot, Avigdor Lieberman, and Yoaz Hendel as partners who boycott Likud voters yet welcome supporters of Mansour Abbas and the Balad party. This statement comes amid heated political discussions about possible coalition formations following recent elections.

The political landscape remains complex, with recent polls showing Eizenkot's Yisrael party leading with 26 seats, Likud at 20, Otzma Yehudit at 9, and Religious Zionism at 5. The coalition parties collectively hold only 49 seats, raising questions about potential political partnerships. Blue and White leader Benny Gantz recently warned against narrow or extremist-supported governments, stating such outcomes would be ineffective.

Political analyst Amit Segal noted the slim chances of both Winter and Smotrich passing the electoral threshold, potentially wasting over 100,000 votes. Netanyahu's remarks highlight escalating tensions in Israeli politics ahead of the elections, focusing on coalition alliances and red lines regarding the Palestinian issue.