Even as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened “punitive measures” in response to a wave of international recognitions of a Palestinian state, political sources in Tel Aviv revealed that he was quietly negotiating with France, Britain, and others to prevent such recognition from advancing to the level of full diplomatic relations and ambassadorial exchanges.
According to reports aired by Israel’s Channel 12 on Monday, Netanyahu’s close associates issued warnings of retaliation, such as expelling diplomats or barring their access to Ramallah. However, sources described these statements as “domestic rhetoric” meant to appease his far-right allies, saying that the Israeli premier knew the limits of what he could do when dealing with major world powers.
On Sunday, Netanyahu announced that his government’s formal response to the sweeping recognition of Palestine would be issued only after his return from New York, where he was scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Israeli analysts interpreted the delay as a signal that he sought measures “directly approved by Washington, and by Trump personally.”
During a closed meeting with his war cabinet on Monday, Netanyahu stressed that “coordination with Washington is an absolute priority in order to counter the international political tsunami.”
According to political sources close to the prime minister, Trump was well aware of Netanyahu’s agenda for the meeting and had begun preparing a position that would keep the Israeli leader’s steps “balanced.”
Netanyahu, they noted, was caught between demands from his far-right coalition - including not only Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir but also members of Likud - to annex the entire West Bank, and Arab warnings that any annexation, however small or symbolic, would trigger sharp retaliation and undermine the Abraham Accords.
Channel 12 reported that following the United Arab Emirates’ strong opposition to annexation, Israel received further messages from Arab capitals warning that “annexation steps would have serious repercussions at all levels.”
Western countries also cautioned Israel that they would respond harshly if it took action against states recognizing Palestine.
Leaks from political sources suggested that Netanyahu was considering measures designed to placate his far-right coalition, such as shifting West Bank “Area B” to the same status as “Area C,” which is already under full Israeli military and civil control, effectively stripping the Palestinian Authority of its administrative powers there.
The sources also claimed that Israel was weighing “a series of sanctions” against countries recognizing a Palestinian state. These could include revoking diplomats’ permits to enter Ramallah and possibly closing their consulates.
According to the report, France’s consulate was a primary target, as Paris had spearheaded, in coordination with Saudi Arabia, efforts to rally collective European recognition of Palestine. Israel reportedly signaled to European governments that it would obstruct any attempt to establish embassies in Ramallah.
Israel was also said to be leveraging the ongoing Gaza war in its talks, while threatening to deploy “two additional divisions in the West Bank, raising the total to 22 divisions, to reinforce security control and prevent operations against Israel.”
Meanwhile, Netanyahu dispatched Defense Minister Israel Katz to the Kiryat Arba settlement to reassure settler leaders. Katz told them that the prime minister supported annexation but wanted to proceed “through a wise diplomatic strategy” that would secure international legitimacy.
According to Hebrew media reports, settler leaders responded that while they “highly valued the government’s intentions,” they fundamentally disagreed with its assessment. “This is the time to annex the entire West Bank to Israel in response to the decisions recognizing the Palestinian state,” they argued.
They further warned that it would be “a mistake to corner Trump or over-consult him on the matter. Israel should take the decision to annex, and it will find that Trump will not stand in its way.”
