Netanyahu Defiant After UK and Western Allies Recognize Palestinian State: “It Will Not Happen”

By: Fern Sidman

The international shockwaves following Britain’s dramatic recognition of a Palestinian state on Sunday drew an immediate and unflinching response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who vowed that no Palestinian sovereignty would ever be allowed west of the Jordan River. The prime minister’s remarks, delivered with characteristic resolve, underscored both his long-standing opposition to Palestinian statehood and his determination to frame the move by Western allies as a dangerous capitulation to terrorism.

According to a report that appeared on Sunday at VIN News, Netanyahu responded within hours of the announcement by the United Kingdom, joined by Canada and Australia, to officially recognize Palestine as a member state at the United Nations. The decision marked the first time major Western powers have formally broken with Israel and the United States on the issue of Palestinian sovereignty, just days before the UN General Assembly convenes in New York.

In a nationally televised statement, Netanyahu minced no words. “There will be no Palestinian state. The response to the latest attempt to impose on us a terrorist state in the heart of our land will be given after my return from the United States,” he said, as reported by VIN News.

His rhetoric reflected a deep anger at what he described as the dangerous precedent of rewarding terrorism, particularly in the wake of the October 7, 2023 atrocities when Hamas fighters stormed southern Israel, massacred 1,200 people, and abducted 251 hostages.

“I have a clear message to those leaders who recognize a Palestinian state after the horrific massacre of October 7: you are granting a huge prize to terror,” Netanyahu declared. “And I have another message for you: It will not happen. There will be no Palestinian state west of the Jordan River.”

For the Israeli leader, whose political career has been defined by his steadfast opposition to Palestinian sovereignty, the recognition by three close Western allies represents both a diplomatic challenge and an opportunity to reinforce his domestic narrative of defiance against outside pressure.

Netanyahu pointed to his decades-long record of resisting international demands for a Palestinian state, framing it as a central pillar of his political legacy. As the VIN News report noted, he stressed that despite “significant domestic and international pressure,” he had consistently prevented such a development.

“We did this with determination, and we did this with diplomatic wisdom,” Netanyahu said. “Moreover, we doubled Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria — and we will continue in this path.”

This reference to expanding settlements highlighted one of the most controversial aspects of Netanyahu’s policy agenda. While widely criticized by the international community, particularly in Europe, the steady growth of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria has been hailed by his right-wing base as the ultimate safeguard against the creation of a Palestinian state.

The prime minister’s declaration suggested that far from scaling back settlement activity in response to diplomatic recognition of Palestine, Israel might accelerate it as a form of retaliation.

Though Netanyahu’s immediate words were fiery, he signaled that Israel’s official, detailed response would be unveiled after his return from Washington. He is scheduled to meet President Donald Trump at the White House later this week, in what is expected to be a pivotal encounter shaping Israel’s counter-strategy to the recognitions.

According to the information provided in the VIN News report, Netanyahu has already begun preparing a set of potential retaliatory measures, including the expansion of settlements in Judea and Samaria, heightened restrictions on Palestinian Authority operations in Jerusalem, and even the possible reconsideration of Israel’s diplomatic ties with the countries that extended recognition.

In his remarks, Netanyahu suggested that the joint Western recognition effort was coordinated to coincide with the UN General Assembly, where the Palestinian issue is expected to dominate debate. Israel, he made clear, would not allow such moves to dictate its security policy.

The recognitions by the UK, Canada, and Australia represent a significant departure from the longstanding Western consensus that Palestinian statehood should only emerge from direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. According to the information contained in the VIN News report, more than 145 UN member states already recognize Palestine, but until now, major Western democracies had refrained from doing so.

For Israel, the timing could hardly be worse. The war in Gaza, approaching its third year, has already fueled unprecedented criticism in Europe and strained ties with the Biden and now Trump administrations in Washington. The coordinated recognition by three close allies magnifies Israel’s diplomatic isolation just as it seeks to consolidate international support for its ongoing military campaign.

Netanyahu, however, framed the moment as proof of his longstanding warning: that global sympathy for Israel after the October 7 attacks would eventually erode into calls for concessions to the Palestinians. By standing firm, he appeared intent on positioning Israel as a nation willing to stand alone if necessary.

Netanyahu’s uncompromising response is also likely to resonate strongly within Israel, particularly among the right-wing and nationalist segments of the population. According to the information in the VIN News report, many Israelis view recognition of a Palestinian state as a betrayal of the victims of October 7 and as an attempt to reward Hamas at a time when dozens of Israeli hostages remain in captivity in Gaza.

By invoking both the massacre and his government’s record of expanding Jewish settlements, Netanyahu sought to reassure Israelis that he would not bend under pressure from even the most powerful Western governments. His vow that “there will be no Palestinian state west of the Jordan” is expected to rally his political base, even as it deepens Israel’s diplomatic isolation.

The upcoming meeting between Netanyahu and President Trump is likely to be closely watched not only in Israel but across the international community. Trump, who has consistently rejected Palestinian statehood, is expected to coordinate with Netanyahu in mounting a strong rebuttal at the UN General Assembly.

As the VIN News report highlighted, the partnership between the two leaders has been marked by a shared skepticism toward international institutions, particularly the UN, which Israel frequently accuses of systemic bias. Netanyahu will undoubtedly seek Trump’s backing for measures to counter “a huge prize to terror.”

This may include reinforcing U.S.-Israel military cooperation, pushing back against European diplomacy, and ensuring that any attempt to elevate Palestine’s status at the UN is met with American veto power at the Security Council.

The recognition of Palestinian statehood by Britain, Canada, and Australia has reignited one of the most fraught debates in international diplomacy. For Israel, and for Netanyahu personally, it represents both a strategic threat and a moment to reaffirm the principles that have guided his decades-long leadership.

As reported by VIN News, Netanyahu’s reaction was clear and uncompromising: recognition of a Palestinian state in the aftermath of October 7 is nothing less than a reward for terrorism. By pledging to continue expanding Jewish settlements and vowing that sovereignty west of the Jordan will never materialize, the prime minister has set Israel on a collision course with some of its closest allies.

What happens next will likely depend on Netanyahu’s trip to Washington and the stance of the Trump administration. Yet if Sunday’s speech is any indication, Israel’s message to the world is unequivocal: no amount of diplomatic recognition abroad will alter its determination to shape its own destiny at home.