Netanyahu Vows No Iran-Controlled Palestinian State Under His Watch

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that no Palestinian state controlled by Iran will be established in Gaza or the West Bank for as long as he remains prime minister. Netanyahu made the declaration in a series of posts on X over the weekend, while also criticising his political opponents ahead of Israel’s October 27 election. He said, “As long as I am Prime Minister, no Palestinian state controlled by Iran will arise: not in Gaza, and not in Judea and Samaria.” Netanyahu also accused opposition figures of seeking to form a coalition with Arab political forces. He alleged that his political rivals could establish what he described as a “dangerous Palestinian state” if they succeed in forming the next government. The Israeli leader specifically mentioned opposition figures including Gadi Eisenkot, Avigdor Lieberman and Yair Golan, as well as Arab political figure Mansour Abbas.

Netanyahu urged supporters of his Likud party to vote for the party, presenting the issue of Palestinian statehood as a major dividing line ahead of the election. His comments come as Eisenkot, a prominent opposition figure and chairman of the Yashar party, explores possible coalition arrangements ahead of the October 27 poll. Recent reports have examined the possibility of an opposition-led government that could depend on support from Arab lawmakers or political parties. Netanyahu’s latest statements therefore combine his long-standing opposition to Palestinian statehood with an election message aimed at Likud supporters. The Israeli prime minister is portraying his political opponents as a potential threat to his position on Palestinian statehood and Iran’s influence in the region. The remarks come amid continuing international and regional debate over the future governance of Gaza, the West Bank and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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