‘No Palestinian State, This Place Is Ours’: Netanyahu Rejects UN Two State Recognition

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has firmly rejected the idea of Palestinian statehood at a moment it is being pushed in the UN General Assembly, declaring, “There will be no Palestinian state – this land belongs to us.“

His audience burst into loud applause, at a celebratory event marking a major housing deal in Ma’ale Adumim this week. The occasion was an “umbrella agreement” between the Israeli government and Ma’ale Adumim, which includes the planned development of the highly contested E1 area, a highly sensitive zone both Israel and the Palestinians recognize as geopolitically crucial to their futures.

Construction in E1 would effectively sever the territorial continuity of a future Palestinian state, which has resulted in fierce condemnation from those who deem it an intentional and decisive blow to any two-state solution.

Underscoring how controversial developing this piece of land has been, the 12-square-kilometer (4.6 sq. mile) area in Judea has sat untouched for several decades. It was first proposed for Israeli development in 1994, but has seen no movement since, amid international pressure.

Ma’ale Adumim, at currently some 40,000 residents, will see the expanse into the contested land zone result in an additional 7,000 new housing units, or enough for about 30,000 more Israelis.

“[T]his is about to realize the doubling of the city of Ma’ale Adumim. There will be 70,000 people here in five years. That will be a huge change,” Netanyahu said in his speech.

Netanyahu’s firm declaration that “there will be no Palestinian state” was a direct challenge on the ground to what’s happening at the United Nations meeting in New York:

The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Friday to support a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict and urge Israel to commit to a Palestinian state, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vehemently opposes.

The 193-member world body approved a nonbinding resolution endorsing the “New York Declaration,” which sets out a phased plan to end the nearly 80-year conflict. The vote was 142-10 with 12 abstentions.

Of course, this is largely symbolic – but Israel’s relations with leading European countries such as France and Germany have been very negatively impacted, also as some like Denmark even mull sanctions.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has approved a move that he says “buries the idea of a Palestinian state.” After a 20 year freeze, he gave the green light to the construction of 3,401 housing units in the E1 (East 1) area between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim.

Let’s break down… pic.twitter.com/0St0sTx3th

— Amit Segal (@AmitSegal) August 14, 2025

Gaza too is expected to be occupied indefinitely by an Israeli troop presence, especially now that Netanyahu has committed to the full Gaza City offensive and takeover.