The Tactics Institute for Security and Counterterrorism strongly condemns the recent remarks made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he seems to suggest that Saudi Arabia should donate land to form a state for Palestinians. Such a statement made on Channel 14 is inflammatory, in violation of rules of international law and norms, and further incites flames in the Middle East.
Palestinians and bringing them under Israeli control,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assertion that Saudis should give room to Palestinians undermines the cardinal principles of self-determination and territorial integrity. This, Tactics Institute says, is in effect an attempt to nullify United Nations resolutions which recognized a Palestinian state and called for a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders.
Netanyahu’s position was also strongly condemned by Arab states, namely, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, the UAE, Kuwait and Iraq, as well as Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members. The Saudi Foreign Ministry accused Netanyahu of shifting the focus away from the ongoing Israeli military bombardments in Gaza, criticized roundly for alleged human rights violations and violations of international law.
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said that Netanyahu’s statement was “simply detached from reality.” Only such rhetoric escalates tensions and undermines regional diplomatic efforts. The United Arab Emirates stated that the remarks made were “provocative” and “a clear violation of international law and the United Nations charter.”
For Palestinians, any move to make them leave their land will remind them of the Nakba, or “catastrophe,” where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced out when Israel was formed in 1948. The comments made by Netanyahu also exacerbate concerns that there might be a repetition of ethnic cleansing and forced evictions, thereby leading to larger humanitarian consequences of the policy.
As illustrated by these comments, the Israeli government does not recognize the rightful claims of the Palestinians. It rather promotes a radical approach that seeks to eliminate Palestinian identity and existence.
The Tactics Institute urges the international community, the United Nations, the European Union, and regional actors to vociferously condemn in totality Netanyahu’s statements for constituting an outrageous violation of international law as a call for even more chaos. Support Palestinian statehood and the two-state solution as the only viable path towards durable peace.
Continued disregard for Palestinian rights and international law is likely to be deepened only in hostilities that will both threaten regional security and global stability. The Institute concludes that it is urgent for immediate action towards the prevention of further escalation as well as efforts towards a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
