After Australia, Canada, and the UK, in a coordinated effort, recognised the Palestinian State on Sunday, calling for a two-state solution, Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, reacted to the announcement, saying that his country “won’t commit suicide” by welcoming a Palestinian state. Although the triad recognized the Palestinian State, it said that Hamas must cease its existence immediately.

Spokeswoman Shosh Badrosian shared the comments in remarks during a short news conference.

According to ANI, quoted by Sky News, Badrosian as saying, “There have been media reports suggesting the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is planning on announcing the UK’s recognition of a Palestinian state today, a manoeuvre that Prime Minister Netanyahu has called absurd and simply a reward for terrorism

“The Prime Minister has made it very clear to me that his message to nations that are taking the avenue to disregard the sheer, utter chaos Hamas has thrusted Gaza into, and Israel, including our soldiers families and, of course, hostages still held in Hamas captivity, that the people of Israel aren’t going to commit suicide because of the political needs of European politics,” the Spokeswoman added, as per Sky News.

Israel has been vocal in opposing the British decision and those taken by other Western nations. 

Badrosian also confirmed that Netanyahu will be travelling to New York for the UN General Assembly in the week when some nations will be announcing a recognition of Palestine to put forth his case.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the decision.

“The Foreign Ministry welcomes the recognition of the State of Palestine by various countries and considers it a protection of the two-state solution aimed at achieving peace,” the statement said.

Israel’s Strong Response

Israel Foreign Ministry, a post on X, issued a response to the statement of the U.K. and some other countries regarding the recognition of a Palestinian state and ‘categorically rejected’ the declaration.

“In response to the statement of the U.K. and some other countries regarding the recognition of a Palestinian state:
Israel categorically rejects the one-sided declaration of the recognition of a Palestinian state made by the United Kingdom and some other countries. This declaration does not promote peace, but on the contrary – further destabilizes the region and undermines the chances of achieving a peaceful solution in the future,” the Israel Foreign Ministry post read. 

Hamas, on October 7, 2023, launched an attack on Israel, and in this many people were killed while several others were taken hostage. In response, Israel too launched a retaliatory attack, and since then, the Gaza Strip has been a war zone.