The Israeli Prime Minister persists.
Benjamin Netanyahu indicated on Saturday that he had reiterated to Joe Biden his opposition to “Palestinian sovereignty” in the Gaza Strip, insisting on the “requirement” of security.
The two leaders spoke by phone Friday for the first time in nearly a month.
For his part, the American president declared at the end of this conversation that it was still possible that “Bibi” would accept a certain form of Palestinian state.
During this conversation, "Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated his policy that once Hamas is destroyed, Israel must retain control of security in Gaza to ensure that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel, a requirement which contradicts the demand for Palestinian sovereignty,” the head of government’s office said on Saturday.
Israel's main ally and supporter, the United States, has called on it to limit the number of civilian casualties while the war between Israel and Hamas has raged since October 7 in the Gaza Strip.
Washington also reiterated its support for the creation of a Palestinian state.
On Friday, a White House spokesperson, John Kirby, reported that Joe Biden "still believes in the prospect and possibility" of a Palestinian state, but "recognizes that it will take a lot of work to get there ".
An “illusion”, according to Hamas
The day before, Benjamin Netanyahu had already stated that “Israel must have control of security over the entire territory west of the Jordan.
This is a necessary condition, which contradicts the idea of (Palestinian) sovereignty.”
Hamas, in power in the Gaza Strip since 2007, for its part rejected on Saturday the American president's comments on the possibility of a Palestinian state, calling them an "illusion" which "does not fool" the Palestinians.
Joe Biden is “a full partner in the genocidal war and our people do not expect anything good from him,” commented Izzat al-Richiq, an official of the Islamist movement, criticizing “those who consider themselves the spokespersons officials of the Palestinian people and who want to decide for the Palestinian people the type of country that suits them.
The war between Israel and Hamas was triggered by an unprecedented attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement on October 7 on Israeli soil which resulted in the deaths of around 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count. based on official Israeli figures.
Some 250 people were kidnapped and taken to Gaza.
In retaliation for the attack, Israel vowed to “annihilate” Hamas, shelling the Gaza Strip and carrying out intensive military operations there.
According to a new report on Saturday from the Hamas Ministry of Health, 24,927 people, the vast majority of them women, children and adolescents, were killed and 62,108 injured in Israeli operations.