Netanyahu's Office: Now is not the time to be speaking about gifts for Palestinians

Avi Hyman, spokesperson for the National Public Diplomacy Directorate in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, rejected any discussion, for the moment, about a Palestinian state during a press briefing on Thursday. He was commenting on the report by The Washington Post about a possible creation of a Palestinian state by the Biden Administration and "a small group of Middle East partners."

"Now is not the time to be speaking about gifts for the Palestinian people. Now is the time for victory – total victory against Hamas. And we will continue on the path to victory. All discussions about the day after Hamas will be had the day after the war," he said.

Representatives from the right-wing camp demanded Netanyahu strongly and unequivocally oppose the plan, "rewarding Palestinians for the massacre." Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich emphasized: "Essentially, they are saying that Palestinians deserve a reward for the terrible massacre Hamas did to us. The message is that it pays very well to massacre Israeli citizens."

Smotrich stated that he would demand from other members of the cabinet ministers an unequivocal decision that Israel opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state and imposing sanctions on more than half a million residents of settlements.