Recognising Palestinian state is a 'reward for terrorism', says Netanyahu

Tel Aviv, May 23 (IANS/DPA) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned against the intended recognition of an independent Palestinian state as announced by Norway, Ireland, and Spain."The intention of several European countries to recognise a Palestinian state is a reward for terrorism," Netanyahu said in a statement on Wednesday."Eighty per cent of the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) support the terrible massacre of October 7," he asserted. "This evil cannot be given a state.""This would be a terrorist state. It will try to repeat the massacre of October 7 again and again; we will not consent to this," the Israeli Prime Minister asserted."Rewarding terrorism will not bring peace and neither will it stop us from defeating Hamas," Netanyahu added.A two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict envisages an independent Palestinian state that exists peacefully side by side with Israel.Netanyahu opposes a two-state solution, as does the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement.The Israeli Prime Minister would have little support from his ultra-right coalition partners for a more conciliatory approach to relations with the Palestinians.Critics have repeatedly accused Netanyahu of having tolerated or even encouraged the rise of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. As a rival to the more moderate Fatah of President Mahmoud Abbas, it has served to divide the Palestinian people to prevent a Palestinian state.Many right-wing Israelis consider a Palestinian state to be an intolerable security risk for Israel.--IANS/DPAkhz

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