From the Liveblog of
Monday, November 17, 2025
Smotrich vows to block any move toward Palestinian statehood
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleAriela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich insists that no plan paving the way to a Palestinian state will ever be implemented, shortly before the UN Security Council is expected to vote on a resolution endorsing the US‑brokered Gaza ceasefire plan.
The proposal outlines a phased process that could — if Hamas is dismantled and the Palestinian Authority undergoes major reforms — create a pathway to eventual Palestinian statehood, which Smotrich and others on the right fiercely oppose.
“The plan for a path to a Palestinian state will not happen,” he declares, speaking to the press ahead of a Religious Zionism faction meeting.
“My life’s mission is to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state in the heart of our land,” the minister says, noting that he has worked hard “to kill the idea of a Palestinian state,” and vowing to continue doing so.
Smotrich adds that a Palestinian state could be pursued “in any of the dozens of Arab countries, or even in several European countries… not here.”
“This is where the Jewish state was established, and this is where it will continue to exist with full sovereignty,” he continues.
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