In a high-stakes appearance at the White House alongside former U.S. President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Monday that any future Palestinian state would become a launchpad to “destroy Israel,” insisting that full sovereign security powers must remain under Israeli control.
The comments came during a bilateral dinner hosted by Trump, whose return to the White House has reinvigorated hardline voices within Netanyahu’s government. While the two leaders discussed regional peace and security, Netanyahu used the platform to issue his most emphatic rejection yet of a fully sovereign Palestinian state, invoking the brutal Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, as a warning of what Palestinian statehood would entail.
“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 built terror tunnels, massacred our people, raped our women, beheaded our men… horrendous atrocities not seen since the Holocaust.”
He added, “People aren’t likely to say, ‘let’s just give them another state.’ It would be a platform to destroy Israel.”
Trump Defers to Netanyahu on Two-State Solution
Asked directly whether he still supported a two-state solution, Trump deflected: “I don’t know,” he said, turning to Netanyahu. “Ask him.”
In his response, Netanyahu doubled down:
“I think the Palestinians should have all the powers to govern themselves, but none of the powers to threaten us. That means a sovereign power, like overall security, will always remain in our hands.”
Netanyahu’s use of Holocaust comparisons and graphic imagery further hardened his case against full statehood, saying the events of 2023 made Israel’s security stance non-negotiable. He concluded with a firm declaration:
“We vowed ‘Never Again.’ Never again is now. It’s not going to happen again.”
Rising Tensions and Settler Ambitions
The statement comes amid growing calls within Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party to annex parts of the West Bank before Israel’s Knesset recess at the end of July. Several ministers have called for formal sovereignty over areas already occupied and heavily settled by Israelis, a move that would likely destroy any remaining prospects for a negotiated peace.
Meanwhile, Palestinian officials have accused Israel of systematically erasing any future for statehood through military occupation, massive displacement, and the expansion of settlements — particularly in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The war in Gaza, now in its 9th month, erupted after Hamas militants launched a devastating surprise attack on southern Israel in October 2023, killing approximately 1,200 Israelis and abducting 251 hostages, according to Israeli authorities. In retaliation, Israel launched a sweeping military offensive that has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, and displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s population.
Ceasefire Talks Underway
While Netanyahu dined with Trump, indirect negotiations between Israeli and Hamas representatives continued in Qatar, under U.S. mediation, in an effort to broker a ceasefire and hostage-release deal. Around 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with only 20 believed to be alive.
The dinner comes as Trump’s foreign policy team reportedly explores plans that include the resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza, a proposal that has been met with sharp condemnation from Arab leaders and international organizations.
Reactions and Global Implications
Netanyahu’s remarks drew immediate backlash from Palestinian officials and human rights advocates who view his rhetoric as a hardening of an already intransigent Israeli position. Critics argue that denying Palestinians sovereignty while expanding settlements amounts to permanent occupation.
In the international arena, Netanyahu’s comments may deepen the divide between Israel and much of the international community, which continues to support a two-state solution as the only viable path to lasting peace.
As the war grinds on and political posturing intensifies, hopes for meaningful diplomacy appear dim. Netanyahu’s message in Washington was clear: Israel will not cede control — not now, and possibly not ever.
