• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Trump at the White House and rejected the prospect of full Palestinian statehood, calling it a threat to Israel’s survival. Netanyahu insisted that Israel must retain sovereign control over security, citing the October 7 Hamas attacks as justification for denying Palestinian autonomy.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TDR) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Monday that any future Palestinian state would pose an existential threat to Israel, emphasizing that security authority must remain solely in Israeli hands. The statement came during a meeting with President Trump at the White House, where the leaders discussed the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre and broader Middle East tensions.

Netanyahu made clear his opposition to Palestinian sovereignty, referencing the deadly attacks from the Gaza Strip as a grim example of what he called the “Hamas state.” Over 1,200 Israelis were killed, and 251 hostages were taken in the October assault, which marked the bloodiest day for Israel since the Holocaust.

Netanyahu: “Never Again Is Now”

“After October 7th, people said the Palestinians have a state, a Hamas state in Gaza—and look what they did with it,” Netanyahu told reporters. “They didn’t build it up, they built down—into bunkers, into terror tunnels. Then they massacred our people, raped our women, beheaded our men.”

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The Israeli leader dismissed concerns that denying Palestinians a sovereign state would be unjust. “Now people will say, ‘It’s not a complete state, it’s not a state.’ We don’t care,” he said. “We vowed never again. Never again is now.”

President Trump, when asked whether a two-state solution remained viable, demurred. “I don’t know,” he replied, deferring the question to Netanyahu. Trump has previously floated controversial suggestions, including relocating Palestinians from Gaza—a proposal that drew widespread condemnation across the Middle East.

Pressure Mounts as West Bank Annexation Talk Grows

Netanyahu’s stance aligns with recent moves by his Likud Party allies, some of whom have called for full annexation of the Israeli-occupied West Bank before the Knesset recesses at the end of July. Pro-settlement factions have felt emboldened since Trump’s return to office, viewing him as a supportive ally in reshaping the regional map in Israel’s favor.

Meanwhile, Palestinians continue to push for an independent state consisting of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem—a goal long backed by past U.S.-brokered negotiations. Palestinian officials argue that Israel has systematically undermined peace prospects by expanding settlements and devastating Gaza’s infrastructure during the ongoing war.

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According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, more than 57,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military operations since the war began, with most of Gaza’s population displaced. Israeli officials estimate that 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with at least 20 presumed alive.

Ceasefire Talks Continue as White House Hosts Netanyahu

While Netanyahu met with Trump for a private dinner, Israeli officials participated in indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hamas in Qatar, part of a broader effort led by the United States to secure a hostage release and temporary halt in fighting.

Despite the talks, Netanyahu showed no signs of backing away from a hardline stance on Palestinian governance. “We will work out a peace with our Palestinian neighbors—those who don’t want to destroy us,” he said, “but the sovereign power of security will always remain in our hands.”

Is Netanyahu right to reject a Palestinian state, or is Israel forfeiting long-term peace for short-term security?

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