Posted on 09/21/25
| News Source: Arutz-7
Israeli ministers delivered scathing rebuttals to the announcements by Britain, Canada, and Australia that they now recognize a Palestinian state.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich responded: "The days of the British mandate are over. The only response to this anti-Israeli step is sovereignty over the homeland of the Jewish people in Judea and Samaria and the removal of the delusional idea of a Palestinian state from the agenda forever. Mr. Prime Minister, this is the time, and it is in your hands."
The Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has declared that he will propose applying sovereignty to Judea and Samaria at the next Cabinet meeting.
The leaders of the Yesha council have already convened an emergency meeting in response to the declarations, stating "A government that does not respond with the annexation of a broad territory to the declarations for the establishment of a terror state in the heart of the country will lose its right to exist."
The chairman of the Yesha Council, Binyamin governor Israel Gantz, added "The government must stop dithering. We are in critical and historic times. Where we do not control one hundred percent, we may be hit by rockets and attacks. Only sovereignty is the true guarantee of long-term security. Before it is too late, it is time to go for this important and just move."
Minister Yitzchak Wasserlauf (Otzma Yehudit) denounced the declarations: "The Land of Israel belongs exclusively to the people of Israel. There is neither a Palestinian state nor people."
The head of the opposition, Yair Lapid, claimed that recognition was a "Diplomatic disaster, a bad move and a reward for terrorism."
"A functioning Israeli government could have prevented this - with wise and serious work, with professional diplomatic discourse and with proper explanation. The government that brought upon us the most grievous security disaster in our history, now brings upon us the most severe diplomatic crisis ever."
Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, called the declarations "Empty declarations that ignore the reality and the dark currents in our region do not advance anything."
"No declaration by any country will change the simple fact that before all else the hostages must be returned and Hamas defeated. The defeat of Hamas and the end of the war will not be achieved by speeches at the UN, but by the determined activity of the State of Israel."