Israeli war chief vows to build ‘Jewish state’ in occupied West Bank
Katz was firing back at French President Emmanuel Macron, who called Palestinian statehood a ‘moral duty’ and warned of a tougher European stance against Israel over the Gaza war
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed on 30 May that Tel Aviv will build a “Jewish Israeli state” in the occupied West Bank, while affirming the rejection of Palestinian statehood in a “clear message” to French President Emmanuel Macron.
“They will recognize a Palestinian state on paper – and we will build the Jewish-Israeli state on the ground. The paper will be thrown in the trash can of history and the State of Israel will flourish and prosper,” the defense minister said.
“This is a historic moment for settlement in Judea and Samaria, which will bolster it as Israel’s protective wall, and will also strengthen security in this region,” he added, referring to new illegal settlement projects in the occupied West Bank.
Katz added that this was a “crushing response” to “terrorists” trying to “harm and weaken our hold on this region of the country,” and a “clear message to Macron and his friends.”
“Do not threaten us with sanctions because you will not bring us to our knees. The State of Israel will not bow its head in the face of threats. We are a people with a long and glorious history. We will stand tall and continue to lead the State of Israel on a safe and strong path, until victory,” he said, firing back at Macron.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry also released a statement accusing France of launching a “crusade against the Jewish state.”
The French president had said on Friday that European states should take a firmer stance against Israel for its actions in Gaza. He warned that if the humanitarian situation in Gaza does not improve soon, France will consider applying sanctions on Israel – signaling a tougher “collective position” from the EU.
Macron also said recognizing a Palestinian state is a “moral duty” and a “political necessity.”
France has increasingly been signaling support for recognizing Palestinian statehood recently. The country has also been among the EU states that have strongly condemned the brutal new Israeli operation – dubbed Gideon's Chariots – in Gaza and the continued prevention of sufficient amounts of aid from entering the besieged strip.
Next month, Paris and Riyadh will co-chair a UN conference aimed at resurrecting the idea of the two-state solution.
Tel Aviv and Washington are leading a controversial new aid mechanism that is hardly meeting the needs of the population in Gaza. The plan is designed to further displace Palestinians and advance Israeli goals for greater control of the strip. In the first few days since its launch, US contractors and Israeli forces have opened fire at Palestinians seeking aid. Dozens have been killed and injured.
In the occupied West Bank, Tel Aviv is accelerating plans for annexing the territory – which the Israeli army illegally occupied during the 1967 war.
Israel's government approved 22 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank on 29 May, following a recent surge in land grabs, forced displacement, and settler violence against Palestinians in the territory.
Earlier this month, the Israeli cabinet voted to take full responsibility for land registration in Area C of the occupied West Bank – an area comprising around 60 percent of the territory and home to the vast majority of Israeli settlements.