Naftali Bennett and Gadi Eisenkot, the top two contenders to unseat Prime Minister Netanyahu, both reject Palestinian statehood ahead of October election.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Two of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leading election rivals have rejected the establishment of a Palestinian state, while offering sharply different approaches to the future of Judea and Samaria.

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett delivered the more categorical declaration, saying he would oppose Palestinian statehood even if accepting it were required to secure normalization with Saudi Arabia.

“I will not allow a Palestinian state to be established, and I will not hand over territory. Period,” Bennett said in an interview with Israel’s Channel 12.

The Yashar party leader said that instead of making territorial concessions, he would promote a regional initiative centered on trade, investment and economic cooperation.

“I am not committing suicide for anyone,” Bennett added, ruling out accepting a pathway to Palestinian independence as part of a Saudi agreement.

Bennett’s remarks mark the latest attempt by the former premier to appeal to right-of-center voters while he campaigns as an alternative to the current government on domestic governance, ultra-Orthodox enlistment and responsibility for the failures surrounding the Oct. 7 attack.

Gadi Eisenkot, the former IDF chief of staff whose Yashar party has surged in recent polls, also distanced himself from Palestinian statehood during a national security conference hosted by Yedioth Ahronoth and the Institute for National Security Studies.

“I have never spoken about a Palestinian state,” Eisenkot said.

Eisenkot argued that Israel should focus on preserving itself as a Jewish, democratic country with a durable Jewish majority while retaining overriding Israeli security responsibility between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.

Unlike Bennett, however, Eisenkot warned against collapsing the Palestinian Authority or placing Israel in direct administrative control of Judea and Samaria’s Arab population.

He accused Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of pursuing a policy that would dismantle the PA and force Israel to assume responsibility for the entire Palestinian population. Eisenkot described that prospect as reckless and strategically damaging.

Eisenkot issued a particularly stark warning about conditions in Judea and Samaria, lamenting that the area is “on the brink of anarchy,” despite counterterrorism operations conducted by the IDF and Shin Bet.

He warned that Israel faced “very difficult days” unless the government restored a unified chain of command, supported IDF officers and authorized stronger action against Palestinian terrorism.

Eisenkot also accused members of Netanyahu’s coalition and pro-government commentators of attacking military commanders rather than supporting their efforts to restore order.

The comments came amid a sharp escalation in violence in Judea and Samaria. A recent Palestinian terror attack in the village of Tell, near Nablus, left two Israelis dead, with several other smaller attacks reported in the area over the past week.

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Overwhelming majority of Israelis oppose two-state solution while backing peace deals with Israel’s Arab neighbors,including Syria and Lebanon, new poll shows.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News Staff

A large majority of likely Jewish Israeli voters oppose establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel as part of a two-state solution, according to a new survey that highlights the widening gap between international diplomatic proposals and Israeli public opinion.

The Council for a Secure America poll surveyed 557 Israeli Jewish adults, screening for likely voters. The survey was conducted June 7-10.

The poll found that 63% of Israeli Jewish likely voters oppose the two-state solution, compared with just 22% who supported it. The remaining 15% did not express a position.

Opposition has remained consistently high throughout the war that began with the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks. It stood at 65% in July 2024, 64% in February 2025 and 69% in August 2025 before declining slightly in the latest survey. Support never exceeded 22% during that period.

The findings indicate that rejection of Palestinian statehood is not confined to a particular age group. Among respondents under 44, 66% opposed a two-state solution and only 17% supported it. Among those ages 45 and older, opposition stood at 60%, while support rose to 26%.

That resistance was also reflected in responses concerning Gaza’s future government.

A plurality of 41% said Israel should govern the territory in the coming years. Another 25% preferred an international coalition that included Arab countries.

Only 6% selected the Palestinian Authority or Fatah, while another 6% favored United Nations administration. Just 2% supported handing control to local Palestinian clans.

Among respondents who expressed an opinion, 51.3% said they believe Israel should govern Gaza.

Younger voters again favored a more direct Israeli role. Among respondents under 44, 54% said Israel should govern Gaza, compared with 29% among older voters. Israelis ages 45 and above were more likely to favor an international Arab-backed coalition, which received 36% support in that age group.

The strong opposition to Palestinian statehood did not translate into broader hostility toward diplomacy with Arab governments.

Eighty-one percent supported the existing Abraham Accords with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. Seventy-eight percent backed a future diplomatic agreement with Saudi Arabia, 72% supported an agreement with Lebanon and 64% supported one with Syria.

The survey also found that Israelis continue to place considerable importance on their country’s relationship with Washington. Ninety-six percent described Israel’s relationship with the United States as important, while 74% said American support was critical to Israel’s future.

That combination could complicate future American diplomatic efforts. Israeli voters appear deeply committed to the US alliance but remain opposed to the policy framework that successive American administrations and much of the international community have promoted for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The latest results are broadly consistent with other polling conducted since October 7.

A 2025 Gallup survey of the overall Israeli adult population found that 63% opposed a two-state solution and 27% supported it. Pew Research Center separately found that only 16% of Jewish Israelis believed Israel could coexist peacefully with an independent Palestinian state.

Israeli Arabs, who make up 21% of Israel’s total population, were not included in the survey.

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Israeli leaders praise Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša after he pledged to relocate his country’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and to reverse the previous government’s decision to recognize unilateral Palestinian statehood.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli ministers praised Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša after he said his new government would relocate Slovenia’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and freeze Ljubljana’s recognition of a Palestinian state, marking a sharp reversal in the small European Union member state’s policy toward Israel.

Janša made the pledge in an interview with Israel Hayom, saying his government would undo decisions taken by the previous Slovenian administration under Robert Golob, which recognized Palestinian statehood and imposed a series of measures against Israel during the Gaza war.

“We will uphold the law and freeze their illegal decision,” Janša said of the Palestinian-state recognition. “We raised this as a condition for our participation in the coalition negotiations, and everyone agreed.”

Janša also said Slovenia and Israel face similar strategic and political challenges, including “terrorism, extremism, the erosion of national identity, and growing geopolitical pressures.”

“Instead of distancing themselves from one another, they must increase cooperation. Israel is not Europe’s problem; it is one of its most important allies,” he said.

The pledge drew immediate praise from Jerusalem.

Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen congratulated Janša on what he called the “right and important decision to revoke Slovenia’s recognition of a Palestinian state and to move Slovenia’s embassy to Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Israel.”

“This is a step that reflects true friendship and standing on the right side of history,” Cohen said.

Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli called Janša a “true friend of Israel,” saying the embassy move would make Slovenia the first European Union member state to place its embassy in Jerusalem.

The move would represent one of the most dramatic pro-Israel shifts by an EU country in recent years. Most European states maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv, arguing that Jerusalem’s final status should be resolved through negotiations. Israel considers Jerusalem its capital, while the Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as the capital of a future state.

Janša’s government has already begun reversing Slovenia’s recent anti-Israel measures. Earlier this month, Ljubljana lifted an arms embargo on Israel, revoked entry bans on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, and ended restrictions connected to Israeli goods from settlements.

Slovenia’s Defense Ministry said the arms ban was no longer necessary because arms trade is already governed by Slovenian law and European Union rules. The previous government had imposed the embargo in 2025, saying Slovenia was the first EU country to take such a step against Israel.

The policy reversal follows Janša’s return to power for a fourth term after Slovenia’s parliament approved his right-leaning government earlier this month. His administration took office after a polarizing election and has moved quickly to repair relations with Jerusalem.

Israel has also moved to upgrade ties with Ljubljana. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced after Janša formed his government that Israel would open its first embassy in Slovenia, another sign of the diplomatic reset between the two countries.

The new direction contrasts sharply with Slovenia’s position under Golob, when Ljubljana recognized a Palestinian state in 2024, backed tougher EU action against Israel and imposed restrictions on Israeli officials and defense trade.

Janša’s decision is likely to deepen political divisions inside Slovenia, where foreign policy toward Israel and the Palestinians has become a highly partisan issue.

His Slovenian Democratic Party opposed recognition of Palestinian statehood when it was advanced by the previous government, arguing that voters should have been consulted in a referendum.

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14 countries including Canada, Japan, Germany, Britain, and France, issue joint declaration demanding Israel embrace two-state solution and reverse decision to establish 19 new towns in Judea and Samaria.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Fourteen countries spanning three continents issued a joint statement on Wednesday condemning Israel’s decision to establish 19 new Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, demanding Israel reverse course and embrace the two-state solution.

The declaration was released by the foreign ministries of France, Britain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain.

“We recall that such unilateral actions, as part of a wider intensification of the settlement policies in the West Bank, not only violate international law but also risk fueling instability,” the declaration reads.

“They risk undermining the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan for Gaza amid efforts to progress to phase 2 and harming prospects for long term peace and security across the region.

“We recall our clear opposition to any form of annexation and to the expansion of settlement policies, including the approval of the E1 settlement and thousands of new housing units.”

In their statement, the 12 European powers, Japan, and Canada demand Israel cancel the decision to approve the towns and instead back the two-state solution.

“We call on Israel to reverse this decision, as well as the expansion of settlements, in line with UNSC Resolution 2334,” the declaration says.

“We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the Two-State solution in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side-by-side in peace and security within secure and recognized borders. We reaffirm that there is no alternative to a negotiated two-state solution.”

While the vote by Israel’s security cabinet this week formally establishes 19 towns, eight of the communities already exist and are merely being retroactively recognized.

Two of the towns, Ganim and Kadim, were evacuated during the 2005 Disengagement and are slated to be rebuilt.

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Sen. John Fetterman blasts Democratic support for unilateral Palestinian statehood, accuses his own party of betraying Jews and Israel while ignoring Hamas’ genocidal aspirations.

By World Israel News Staff

Democratic Senator John Fetterman took aim at his own party on Sunday, excoriating support worldwide for unilateral Palestinian statehood, including among Democratic lawmakers.

Fetterman appeared on Fox News following a segment featuring fellow senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican representing South Carolina, who condemned Western support for unilateral Palestinian statehood.

“To every Western government who has recognized a Palestinian state, you are rewarding killing Jews,” said Graham. “It is the most irresponsible decision I can imagine. What state are you recognizing? Is it controlled by Hamas?”

“What are you recognizing here, that when you kill Jews, you get a state?”

Appearing on Fox News‘ “Sunday Morning Futures” immediately after Graham, Fetterman said that he agreed “with virtually everything” Graham had said.

Fetterman blasted both his own party and Western governments for backing the push for unilateral Palestinian statehood following the October 7 invasion of Israel.

“It’s an absolute betrayal for Israel and for the worldwide Jewish community,” Fetterman said.

“Whether it’s France or Australia or any of these nations, our Western allies are now calling for a two-state solution when Hamas refuses to disarm and are actively trying to kill Jews. I can’t imagine why anybody would do that at this point.”

The Pennsylvania senator lamented that “incredibly anti-Israel kinds of views” are “becoming more and more part of my party’s platform.”

“I can’t imagine why so many parts of people in my party continue to back away or to kind of deflect… condemning these kinds of horrific acts of terrorism,” Fetterman said, referencing the massacre in Sydney on Sunday targeting a Chanukah celebration.

“The young people in our nation have turned their back entirely against Israel, and that’s the social media, that’s the scourge, that’s where antisemitism breeds.”

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Bin Salman privately pressed Trump to guarantee final status talks be held and a Palestinian state established within five years, while pushing back on plans to have Muslim countries form Gaza peacekeeping force.

By World Israel News Staff

Saudi Arabia is seeking guarantees from the Trump administration that final-status negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority will be renewed in the near future, concluding no later than five years from now and culminating in the establishment of a Palestinian state, according to a Yedioth Ahronoth report published Thursday morning.

On Tuesday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, where the two discussed Riyadh’s request to purchase dozens of advanced F-35 fighter jets, efforts to reboot nuclear talks with Iran, the administration’s Gaza peace plan, Saudi investment in the United States, a security treaty between the two countries, and Saudi Arabia’s plans to launch a civilian nuclear program.

Trump and bin Salman also discussed the possibility of Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel as part of the Abraham Accords, with the president pressing the de facto Saudi ruler to publicly commit to a peace deal with Israel without preconditions.

During a joint press conference that day, bin Salman said his country wants “to be part of the Abraham Accords,” but declined to make any firm statement on the possibility of peace with Israel, saying only that Riyadh needs to “secure a clear path [to a] two-state solution.”

While publicly bin Salman has been reticent on the issue, in private he laid out specific conditions for establishing formal diplomatic relations with Israel.

According to the report, bin Salman asked Trump for American guarantees that a Palestinian state be established in no more than five years.

Bin Salman reportedly framed the guarantees as a concrete expression of American support for a “pathway” to Palestinian statehood.

The administration’s 20-point Gaza peace plan referenced support for an eventual “pathway” to a Palestinian state, but provided no details or timetable.

Following the October 7th massacre, the prospect of a Palestinian state is widely viewed inside Israel’s political and security establishment as an unthinkable gamble with national survival rather than a path to peace.

Prime Minister Netanyahu argues that any such state would quickly become a platform for Hamas and other Iran-backed groups to regroup on Israel’s borders, a concern echoed by a Knesset resolution warning that a Palestinian state in the “heart of the Land of Israel” would pose an “existential danger” to the country and its citizens.

The Saudi prince also used his private meeting with the president to warn him against forming the newly mandated International Stabilization Force with soldiers from Muslim nations, arguing that Muslim troops would not be willing to confront Hamas if needed.

So far, the Trump administration has sought moderate Arab and Muslim states to contribute troops to the peacekeeping force, which would be tasked with demilitarizing the Gaza Strip and disarming Hamas.

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Israeli opposition to Palestinian statehood hits highest level since Oct. 7.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

More than two-thirds of Israelis oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state, according to a new poll — the highest level recorded since the beginning of the war with Hamas more than two years ago.

The poll was conducted by the Lazar Research Institute from Nov. 16 to 17, surveying 698 Israeli Jews and Arabs. It was published Monday by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA).

The survey found that 70% of Israelis oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state along the pre-1967 boundaries. Among Israeli Jews, 79% oppose Palestinian statehood.

Just 21% of Israelis – among them Arabs – support Palestinian statehood, including 8% who support it unconditionally and 13% who say they would only back a Palestinian state that fully recognizes Israel and is completely demilitarized.

Most Israelis also reject an arrangement under which Israel would support Palestinian statehood in exchange for a peace deal with Saudi Arabia, the poll found, with 62% of Israelis opposed to the establishment of a Palestinian state even in exchange for relations with Riyadh.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of Israeli Jews oppose such an arrangement.

Israelis were more evenly split on a symbolic declaration of future support for a Palestinian state, backing the United Nations Security Council’s resolution Monday that endorses a “pathway” to Palestinian statehood.

While 49% of Israelis – and 57% of Israeli Jews – were opposed to such a declaration under any circumstances, 20% said they would back it only if the new state were fully demilitarized and recognized Israel as a Jewish state.

A narrow plurality (43%) of Israelis oppose the US sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in exchange for a peace deal between Jerusalem and Riyadh.

Forty percent would support such a deal if the Saudis dropped their demand for Palestinian statehood, though 34% would also condition their backing on an explicit US guarantee to preserve Israel’s qualitative military edge (QME).

A majority (62%) of Israelis support the deployment of an international force to the Gaza Strip to stabilize the area. Just 26% said they preferred Israel to be the sole military force in Gaza.

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Israel’s foreign minister tells German delegation that a Palestinian state would inevitably be a pro-Hamas terrorist state, slamming Europe’s “new obsession” with Palestinian statehood.

By World Israel News Staff

Israel’s foreign minister castigated international support for Palestinian statehood and the recent diplomatic push to recognize the Palestinian Authority’s unilateral claim to independence, warning that the “new obsession” with a Palestinian state ignored the dangers of forming a “Hamas terror state.”

On Sunday, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar (New Hope) addressed a delegation of 160 German elected officials, businesspeople and journalists visiting Israel on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between the Jewish state and West Germany.

During the event, hosted by the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Sa’ar warned that should a Palestinian state be established, it would inevitably become a “Hamas terror state,” and he criticized the growing support in Europe for unilateral Palestinian statehood.

“I want you to understand, these are not simply terror organizations,” Sa’ar said. “Terror organizations that control land and populations become terror states, and it’s like comparing between neo-Nazis that exist in the world today and the Nazi regime, who controlled a territory and people.”

“The terror states in Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen have not yet been dismantled, but some people are quick to suggest that we will establish a Palestinian terror state in the heart of our tiny homeland — meaning two kilometers from the place we are sitting right now.”

“It would control the topography over all our population centers. And this is what they suggested after Oct. 7, even though it’s clear that such an experiment would only lead to another terror state.”

Sa’ar noted the strong support for Hamas among the Palestinians, who, according to recent polls, would overwhelmingly support Hamas’ Khaled Mashal for president over Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

A poll released by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research on Oct. 28, which Sa’ar posted on his X account, found that if new elections were held today, Mashal would receive three-quarters of the vote.

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Settlement leaders and Israeli lawmakers criticize US draft resolution at UN Security Council calling for a “pathway” to Palestinian statehood, demand Netanyahu explicitly reject the measure.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli lawmakers, ministers, and settlement leaders demanded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explicitly denounce support in a US draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council supporting a “pathway” to Palestinian statehood.

The fracas stems from the planned vote at the UN Security Council this week on an updated version of the US-backed resolution establishing an international stabilization force to police the Gaza Strip.

The resolution would give the ISF a formal mandate and full UN backing to operate in the war-torn coastal enclave – a basic condition potential contributors to the ISF have set as the US struggles to cobble together a force of soldiers from Muslim and Arab-majority states willing to take on the peacekeeping mission and potentially confront Hamas over its refusal to disarm.

The updated US draft resolution includes the entire 20-point Gaza peace plan, unveiled by the Trump administration last month, as an annex.

The move was meant to bolster support among America’s Arab and Muslim allies, who sought mention in the resolution of Palestinian statehood.

Article 19 of the peace plan calls for a “credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood,” which the US recognizes as “the aspiration of the Palestinian people.”

The inclusion of the clause, while symbolic, marks the strongest language yet used by the US in a Security Council resolution to express support for the idea of Palestinian statehood.

A 2002 resolution, passed during the peak of the Second Intifada, “affirmed a vision” for the two-state solution, without explicitly and unambiguously endorsing Palestinian statehood.

The draft resolution’s mention of Palestinian statehood roiled two Israeli ministers: National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Ben-Gvir, who heads the Otzma Yehudit party, issued a statement demanding Netanyahu issue a statement pledging to block the establishment of a Palestinian state.

“There is no such thing as a ‘Palestinian people.’ It is an invention with no historical, archaeological, or factual basis,” Ben-Gvir said. “A collection of migrants from Arab countries to the Land of Israel is not a people. And they certainly do not deserve a reward for the terror, murder, and atrocities they have sown everywhere — especially from Gaza, where they were granted self-rule.”

“The only real solution in Gaza is encouraging voluntary emigration, and certainly not granting a prize for terror in the form of a state that would serve as a base for continued terrorism.”

“Otzma Yehudit will not be part of any government that agrees to this. I call on the prime minister to clarify that the State of Israel will not permit the establishment of a Palestinian state in any form.”

Smotrich took to X to register his dismay over the draft resolution, while castigating Netanyahu for failing to annex parts of Judea and Samaria in response to the push for international recognition of unilateral Palestinian statehood in September.

“Two months ago, immediately after several countries announced their unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, you committed to respond decisively on the matter as soon as you returned from the United States,” Smotrich wrote.

“Since then, as mentioned, two months have passed during which you chose silence and a diplomatic disgrace. The deterioration we are now witnessing regarding this issue is dangerous and is your responsibility due to your silence.”

MK Avi Maoz, a former deputy minister who bolted the government, accused President Trump of “advancing a Palestinian terror state in Judea and Samaria.”

Maoz recently drafted legislation, taken up by the Knesset during Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Israel, which would apply Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. The bill passed its preliminary vote in the Knesset, drawing a sharp rebuke from Vance, who said he took it as a personal insult.

The Yesha Council – the umbrella organization representing municipalities and regional councils governing Israeli towns in Judea and Samaria – accused Netanyahu of “agreeing to a Palestinian state in exchange for normalization with Saudi Arabia.”

“We have said countless times that it is either sovereignty or a Palestinian state. The prime minister avoided sovereignty, and now we are advancing toward the establishment of such a state.”

“We demand that the prime minister clarify that a Palestinian state will not be established in any form or formulation.”

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After attending anti-Israel event marking Kristallnacht anniversary, Norway’s premier snubbed by Israel over proposed visit.

By World Israel News Staff

The prime minister of Norway was snubbed after requesting a state visit to Israel, Norwegian media outlets reported over the weekend.

After attending the peace conference hosted by Egypt in Sharm el-Sheikh last month, which featured President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre began planning a trip to Israel.

Støre told the Dagens Næringsliv newspaper on Saturday that he had drafted plans last month for a visit to the region that would have included Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and Jordan.

However, the Netanyahu government rejected Støre’s request, the report said.

“This is not the time,” Israel said in response to the Norwegian government’s request, according to Støre.

The Norwegian prime minister attributed the rejection to opposition within the Israeli government to Norway’s support for unilateral Palestinian statehood and his government’s criticism of Israel’s war against the Hamas terror organization in the Gaza Strip.

“Yes, I think that parts of the Israeli government react in this way toward countries that have expressed opposition to the Gaza warfare and have recognized the Palestinian state,” Støre said.

Last year, Oslo joined several other European states in recognizing unilateral Palestinian statehood.

Israeli sources appeared to confirm Støre’s claim, with one telling Yedioth Aharonoth that “there is no reason to approve a visit by Norway’s prime minister in light of Norway’s conduct since Oct. 7.”

Earlier this month, Støre sparked outrage in Israel after he attended an event marking the anniversary of Kristallnacht, which was hosted by the anti-Israel Norwegian Centre Against Racism, while refusing to attend a parallel event hosted by an organization representing Norway’s Jewish community.

“Støre chose to participate in a ceremony that turned a horrific episode of the murder and persecution of Jews – the anniversary of Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass) – into a weapon against the Jewish state, Israelis, and Jews,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry said.

“This is an affront to the memory of the Holocaust’s victims – especially to the more than 750 Norwegian Jews who were deported and murdered by the Nazis and their local collaborators.”

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Pope Leo XIV meets with the head of the Palestinian Authority, calling for a two-state solution to end the Arab-Israeli conflict while advocating for more aid to Gaza.

By World Israel News Staff

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas visited the Vatican last Thursday, meeting with Pope Leo XIV in the Apostolic Palace.

The two had a “cordial” private meeting, according to the Holy See Press Office. It was the first meeting between the two leaders, though the pontiff spoke by phone with the Palestinian Authority chief on July 21.

According to the Vatican, Thursday’s meeting focused primarily on the war in the Gaza Strip and the current ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as well as on tensions in Judea and Samaria. The pope emphasized his call for greater international aid to Gaza.

Pope Leo and Abbas also discussed the diplomatic push for international recognition of unilateral Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

During their conversation, Pope Leo XIV reiterated his support for Palestinian statehood, calling for an end to the war in Gaza and the broader Arab-Israeli conflict on the basis of a two-state solution.

“During the cordial talks, it was recognized that there is an urgent need to provide assistance to the civilian population in Gaza and to end the conflict by pursuing a two-state solution,” the Holy See Press Office said after the meeting.

The Vatican officially recognized Palestinian statehood on June 26, 2015, despite the absence of a final-status agreement between Israel.

Two months ago, Pope Leo hosted Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the Vatican.

While the pontiff expressed support for the immediate return of the hostages, 48 of whom were then being held in Gaza, he also criticized Israel’s approach to the war in Gaza, while arguing that there is no alternative to Palestinian statehood.

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Senator Lindsey Graham warns Israel against annexing Judea and Samaria, says the Jewish state must embrace Palestinian statehood.

By World Israel News Staff

A pro-Israel stalwart in the US Senate warned last week that Israel will lose American support if it applies sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, adding that the Jewish state must ultimately embrace the idea of Palestinian statehood.

On Friday, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) joined a Republican Jewish Coalition summit in Las Vegas.

On the sidelines of the event, Graham told The Jerusalem Post that efforts by members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling coalition government and an opposition party to apply Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria would, if successful, jeopardize American support for Israel.

“A one-state solution would either end Israel as a Jewish state or leave millions without rights, which the world will not accept,” said Graham. “To be pro-Israel, you need to be honest with Israel.”

Graham added that Israel must find a pathway toward a two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state.

“There is no alternative,” he said, arguing that annexation would “marginalize” Israel and pose more of a threat to the Jewish state’s future than “any bomb Iran could ever build.”

“If you want to marginalize the Jewish state, go down that road,” Graham continued. “You would lose support here in America, and you would isolate Israel from the world.”

“There are a billion Muslims. If you imagine a new Middle East with no Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, you are living in a dream world.”

Instead, Graham said Israel should focus on reaching “real security arrangements” with moderate elements within Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, and to help raise the standard of living for Palestinian Arabs.

“Do not tell me things cannot change. Germany and Japan were the most radicalized places on the planet. Over the arc of time, they changed. I would never ask Israel to accept a Palestinian state that could generate another October 7th. But over time, with different leadership and real security guarantees, you can have a Palestinian partner that lives in peace with Israel.”

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The vast majority of Democrats and nearly half of Republicans say the United States should recognize unilateral Palestinian statehood, according to a new poll.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

More than half of Americans now say the United States should recognize Palestinian statehood, according to a new poll, after a number of countries backed the Palestinian Authority’s unilateral claim to statehood at the United Nations General Assembly last month.

On Wednesday, Reuters published the results of a survey conducted jointly with the Ipsos polling institute from Oct. 15 to 20.

The poll, which surveyed 4,385 American adults online, found that 59% of Americans say they believe the US should recognize Palestinian statehood.

Just 33% of respondents said they opposed American recognition of Palestinian statehood.

Democrats overwhelmingly back recognition of Palestinian statehood, with 80% of self-described Democrats backing recognition, compared to just 16% who oppose it.

Independents were less likely to support recognition, with 58% endorsing American recognition compared to 28% who oppose it.

A narrow majority (53%) of Republicans say the US should not recognize the Palestinian Authority as a state, while 41% now say the US should grant recognition.

Americans also believe Israel’s response to the October 7, 2023, massacres has been “excessive,” with 60% saying Israel has gone too far, compared to 32% who said it has not.

The survey also polled respondents on whether they believe President Donald Trump deserves significant credit if his administration’s Gaza peace plan succeeds in ending the war between Israel and Hamas.

Just over half (51%) of adults said that the president does deserve credit, compared to 42% who said he does not, and 7% who have no opinion.

More than four-fifths (83%) of Republicans, along with 25% of Democrats and 44% of independents, believe Trump does deserve significant credit, while more than two-thirds (71%) of Democrats, 44% of independents, and 13% of Republicans say Trump does not deserve significant credit.

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New poll finds scarce support among either Israelis or Palestinians for a two-state solution, and little optimism a peace deal can be reached.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

After nearly two years of war in Gaza and a quarter century since the Camp David Summit talks on Palestinian statehood, support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Arab conflict remains low among both Israelis and Palestinians, according to a new poll.

The survey was conducted by Gallup via in-person interviews from June 26 to 30, surveying 1,000 Arabs over age 15 in Judea, Samaria, and eastern Jerusalem, along with 1,001 Israelis 15 and over polled from July 3 through August 25.

The poll, published on Monday, found that among Israelis, support for a two-state solution has barely crept upwards since the October 7, 2023, invasion.

Israeli backing for a two-state solution fell to the lowest level on record in 2023, with just 25% of Israelis saying they would ever support the establishment of a Palestinian state, compared with 65% who said they would never support the formation of such a state.

Gallup has polled Israelis on the question since 2012, with the highest level of support for Palestinian statehood reported that year at 61%, compared with 30% who said they would never back the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The poll found a marginal rise from 2023 to 2024, with 27% of Israeli respondents saying they could back Palestinian statehood, compared to 64% who said they could not.

Support for Palestinian statehood remained flat in 2025 at 27%, while opposition to a two-state solution sank by one point to 63%.

Among Arabs living in Judea, Samaria, and eastern Jerusalem, just 33% say they support a two-state solution, which would include a Palestinian existing alongside the State of Israel.

More than half, 55%, said they opposed such an arrangement, with 10% unsure.

Palestinian support for a two-state solution, measured by Gallup since 2011, was highest in 2012, when two-thirds (66%) backed coexistence of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

That number fell to its lowest level on record in 2023 — 26% — before rising slightly in 2024 to 28%.

Older Palestinians were more likely than younger respondents to support a two-state solution, with 46% of those 50 and over backing such an arrangement.

Among Palestinians 30 to 49, 36% said they supported a two-state solution, compared to just 25% of respondents 15 to 29.

Israelis ages 30 to 49 were the most likely to back Palestinian statehood, with 33% of that age group endorsing a two-state solution, while just 26% of Israelis over 50 supported Palestinian statehood.

Young Israelis, 15-29, were the least likely to back the establishment of a Palestinian state, with just 22% endorsing the idea.

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“The ball is in Jerusalem’s court,” says Samaria regional council head, speaking about Netanyahu’s refusal to state timeline for Judea and Samaria sovereignty.

By World Israel News Staff

An influential settler leader has voiced concern that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may agree to the creation of an independent Palestinian state as part of a peace plan promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan told Hebrew-language outlet Ynet that he and other settler leaders held a meeting on the issue with Netanyahu in New York. While the discussion was “in-depth”, Dagan said, they left the meeting “feeling troubled.”

Netanyahu has long pledged to apply sovereignty to Judea and Samaria. However, Trump recently told the media that he would not allow such a move.

According to Dagan, Netanyahu refused to state a deadline for declaring official annexation of the territories. Dagan warned that the prime minister may succumb to international pressure on the sovereignty issue.

“This government could end up agreeing to the establishment of a Palestinian state. That is [French President Emmanuel] Macron’s goal, along with others who are pressuring against sovereignty,” Dagan said.

“A Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria would be another October 7. Neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority hide their support for the massacre,” he added.

Dagan stressed that he and other settler leaders expect Netanyahu to stand firmly against international pressure and apply sovereignty to Judea and Samaria, calling the opportunity to annex the region a “critical moment” in Israeli history.

The settler leader also rejected the argument that Netanyahu cannot move forward without Trump’s approval.

“The person who will decide whether sovereignty happens is Netanyahu, not the U.S.,” Dagan said.

“Trump is a great friend of Israel — a miracle for Israel — but even among friends, there can be disagreements. The ball is in Jerusalem’s court.”

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San Marino announces its recognition of unilateral Palestinian statehood, becoming the latest country to join French-led initiative at the United Nations.

By World Israel News Staff

San Marino announced Saturday that it has recognized Palestinian statehood, becoming the latest country to back the Palestinian Authority’s unilateral claim to statehood.

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday, during High-Level Week, San Marino’s affairs chief, Luca Beccari, declared that his country now recognizes the Palestinian Authority as a sovereign state.

“San Marino officially recognizes the State of Palestine as a sovereign and independent state, within secure and internationally recognized borders, in line with the resolutions of the United Nations,” Beccari said.

Beccari called Palestinian statehood an “inalienable right” while denying that recognition constituted a reward for the Hamas invasion of Israel in 2023.

“Having a state is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people. It is not, and can never be, a reward for Hamas,” Beccari said.

San Marino, Beccari continued, “condemns unequivocally the horrific terror attacks perpetrated by Hamas on 7 October and calls once again for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.”

Beccari repeated false claims that Israel caused mass starvation in the Gaza Strip and carried out indiscriminate bombing.

“Nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people through indiscriminate bombing, starvation and displacement,” Beccari said. “Unless we act with unity and determination, the vision of two peoples living side by side in dignity and security will be lost.”

“In this dark hour, our responsibility becomes urgent.”

The tiny landlocked republic, home to some 35,000 people in the northern Italian peninsula, is the 11th country to grant formal recognition to unilateral Palestinian statehood over the past week, joining Britain, Canada, Australia, Portugal, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, and Andorra.

With Beccari’s declaration, the number of UN member states that recognize Palestinian statehood is now 157 out of 193 total states.

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