Israeli lawmakers are gathered for a vote at the Knesset. AP
The resolution, passed by a vote of 68 to 9, firmly rejects the establishment of a Palestinian state -- even through negotiations with Israel.
It comes ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled visit to the United States, where he is expected to address American lawmakers to shore up support for his country’s war on Gaza.
This resolution marks a significant shift from a February resolution that rejected what it described as the "unilateral establishment of a Palestinian state", insisting on a negotiated settlement between both sides.
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the official spokesperson for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, denounced the vote, emphasising that there can be "no peace or security for anyone without the establishment of a Palestinian state" that includes the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem as its capital.
He pointed out that 149 member states in the United Nations already recognise the State of Palestine and asserted that Palestinian statehood "does not require permission or legitimacy from anyone."
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