Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking at the burial ceremony of Herzl's grandparents at Mount Herzl, declared that a Palestinian state will not be established. He also said that with or without a nuclear deal with Iran, Israel will ensure its security and that Iran will not obtain nuclear weapons. Netanyahu emphasized that Israel's existence is not up for negotiation, while praising President Trump as a great friend and the US as a key ally.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking at the burial ceremony for the remains of Theodor Herzl's grandparents at Mount Herzl on Wednesday evening, explicitly ruled out the establishment of a Palestinian state, stating "it will not be established." He also vowed that Iran will not obtain nuclear weapons, referencing the IRGC commander's recent declaration about Iran's nuclear ambitions and saying that Israel's security will be ensured "with or without a deal" with Iran.
The remarks expand on a series of statements Netanyahu made during the same ceremony, which The Zioneer reported at 17:39 Jerusalem. In initial reports, Netanyahu stressed that Israel's existence is not subject to negotiation and called for national unity. He then praised President Trump as "our greatest friend" while reiterating the same red line. As the ceremony progressed, he explicitly linked his stance to the ongoing US-Iran nuclear talks, using the phrase "with or without a deal." He also noted that state diplomatic needs would require him to leave the ceremony early, underscoring the weight of the current security and diplomatic environment.
The Zioneer has documented Netanyahu's long-standing position on Iran's nuclear program. In previous reports, he has stated that "as long as I am prime minister, Iran will not have nuclear weapons," and has expressed doubt about the efficacy of negotiations. His remarks at the ceremony align with that doctrine.
The specific diplomatic engagements that prompted Netanyahu to leave the ceremony early were not detailed. The context of his ruling out of a Palestinian state, beyond the general statement, was also not elaborated.
7 developments
Source and signal
- Open-source intake