Israeli PM Netanyahu opposes establishing Palestinian state after war

Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday rejected calls from the United States to take steps toward the establishment of a Palestinian state after the war and scale back its military offensive in Gaza.

Comments by the Israeli Prime Minister drew a fierce rebuke from the White House, its principal ally. 

The tense back and forth reflects a wide rift between the two over the scope of Israel’s war and its plans for the future of the besieged enclave. 

“We obviously see it differently,” Washington national security spokesperson John Kirby said.

Netanyahu spoke just a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israel would never have “genuine security” without a pathway toward Palestinian independence.

The White House, earlier this week, also announced it was the “right time” for Israel to wind down its devastating military offensive in Gaza.

Netanyahu struck a defiant tone in a televised news conference, repeatedly saying Israel would not halt its offensive until it destroyed Hamas and brought home all remaining hostages held by the militant group.

He rejected claims by a growing chorus of Israeli critics that those goals are not achievable, vowing to press ahead for many months. “We will not settle for anything short of an absolute victory,” Netanyahu said.

Hamas has said it will not release any more hostages until Israel stops its military offensive, having freed women, children and teens in a week-long ceasefire in November. 

After initially giving Israel wall-to-wall support in the early days of the war, the United States has begun expressing misgivings and urged Netanyahu to spell out his vision for a post-war Gaza.

Washington is still Israel's closest ally, providing the country with significant military support. 

The United