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Israel's Netanyahu Says Palestinian State Recognition a 'Reward for Terror'

Oded Balilty / File photo by The AP
Oded Balilty / File photo by The AP
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Israel's Netanyahu Says Palestinian State Recognition a 'Reward for Terror'

Oded Balilty / File photo by The AP
Oded Balilty / File photo by The AP

Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu said the recognition of the State of Palestine by Spain, Ireland and Norway on Wednesday was a "reward for terror".

"The intention of several European countries to recognize a Palestinian state is a reward for terror," he said in a statement, adding a sovereign State of Palestine would be a "terror state" that would "try to repeatedly carry out the massacre of October 7th".

Also, the White House said Wednesday it opposed "unilateral recognition" of a Palestinian state.

President Joe Biden "has been on the record supporting a two-state solution," his national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, told reporters.

"He has been equally emphatic on the record that that two-state solution should be brought about through direct negotiations through the parties, not through unilateral recognition," he said, AFP reported.

He stopped short of criticizing the decision to formally recognize the State of Palestine by the three European countries, all close allies of the United States.

"Each country is entitled to make its own determinations, but the US position on this is clear," Sullivan said.

For his part, Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told Netanyahu that he wants to take retaliatory action including severing an arrangement in which Norway handles funds intended to the Palestinian Authority.

Under peace agreements brokered in part by Norway in the 1990s, Israel collects money for the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited autonomy in parts of the West Bank.

But Israel has blocked transfers since the aftermath of the October 7 attack.

Sullivan said that funds should keep going to the Palestinian Authority which the Biden administration wants to strengthen in hopes it can assume control of Gaza from Hamas.

"I think it's wrong on a strategic basis, because withholding funds destabilizes the West Bank," Sullivan said of Israeli moves to stop funds.

"It undermines the search for security and prosperity for the Palestinian people which is in Israel's interests, and, I think, it's wrong to withhold funds that provide basic goods and services to innocent people," he said.

Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have been pushing Israel to move forward on a timeline for a Palestinian state, in part by dangling the prospect of Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel.

But Washington vetoed a recent UN Security Council bid to recognize the State of Palestine, saying that recognition could only come through negotiations that take into account Israel's security interests.

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Sudan's al-Burhan: There Are No Preconditions for Dialogue

Al-Burhan delivers his speech at the United Nations in New York, September 26, 2024. (EPA)
Al-Burhan delivers his speech at the United Nations in New York, September 26, 2024. (EPA)
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Sudan's al-Burhan: There Are No Preconditions for Dialogue

Al-Burhan delivers his speech at the United Nations in New York, September 26, 2024. (EPA)
Al-Burhan delivers his speech at the United Nations in New York, September 26, 2024. (EPA)

Sudanese Armed Forces Chief and Sovereign Council Chairman General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), of betrayal for rejecting agreements reached during the Jeddah talks, which were brokered by Saudi Arabia and the United States.

Burhan emphasized that he is not setting preconditions but is calling for the implementation of previous agreements between the two sides.

His remarks on Friday came amid intense diplomatic moves during the 79th UN General Assembly in New York. Saudi Arabia announced that its aid to Sudan had exceeded $3 billion, while the United States urged for humanitarian ceasefires, especially in the Darfur region.

At a press conference following his participation in the UN meetings, Burhan said that Sudan is facing a conspiracy involving internal political forces and some regional and international powers, aiming to change the government through armed force.

When asked by Asharq Al-Awsat whether he would negotiate with Hemedti without preconditions based on the Jeddah Agreement, Burhan reiterated that what he seeks is the execution of what was already agreed upon in Jeddah.

He stressed that the parties and mediators had agreed on specific military and security measures, including leadership and budget details. Burhan insisted that until these agreements are implemented, there will be no further negotiations with those who "betray their promises."

The head of the sovereign country dismissed international accusations that both he and Hemedti are putting personal interests above the nation’s well-being. He asserted that the conflict is not a battle between two generals but a war against the Sudanese people and state.

Sudan was a focal point during the UN meetings, with a ministerial session titled, "The Cost of Inaction: Urgent and Collective Support to Scale Up the Humanitarian Response in Sudan and the Region."

The session, led by Saudi Arabia, the US, Egypt, the African Union, and the EU, called for an end to the war and expanded humanitarian efforts in Sudan and neighboring regions.

Joyce Msuya, acting coordinator for UN emergency relief, emphasized the need for a coordinated diplomatic push to improve humanitarian access and streamline the delivery of aid across borders and conflict lines. She urged member states to support increasing aid through Chad’s Adré crossing and extending its operation beyond the initial three-month period. In light of funding shortages, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund allocated $25 million to address famine and acute food insecurity in Sudan.

For her part, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield called for humanitarian pauses in the fighting, particularly in El-Fasher and Khartoum, to allow aid delivery and civilian evacuation.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRELIEF), revealed that Saudi Arabia’s aid to Sudan has surpassed $3 billion. He highlighted that the center had intensified its efforts after the outbreak of the conflict, implementing more than 70 humanitarian projects worth over $73 million in collaboration with UN agencies and other organizations.

Al-Rabeeah further stressed that the challenges posed by Sudan's crisis require collective efforts to provide unrestricted humanitarian assistance and sustainable, coordinated responses to ensure safe access to affected areas.