Is Netanyahu for or against a Palestinian state?

Netanyahu and Biden engaged in a telephone conversation, ending over three weeks without communication.

Biden reportedly presented Netanyahu with two possible his leadership may be viewed in the future: as the leader under whose government the October 7 attack took place, or as the one who paved the way for peace.

Netanyahu clarified statements made during a press conference were not intended to eliminate the possibility of a Palestinian state.

The leaders discussed the possibility and development of a demilitarized Palestinian state.

Biden emphasized his commitment to the two-state solution and the need to address payment issues for Palestinian Authority personnel in the West Bank.

Netanyahu told Biden that Israel would not back down from its combat premises.

Biden expressed satisfaction regarding Israeli decisions to allow flour shipments to Gaza.

There were discussions about Israel's responsibility to minimize harm to civilians in Gaza, targeted military operations and humanitarian aid.

Following the publication of the contents of the conversation, on Saturday, Netanyahu's office rejected full Palestinian sovereignty.

Netanyahu asserts that Israel must maintain security control over the entirety of the territory west of the Jordan River.

Israeli minister Gideon Sa'ar said Israel needs full security control to secure the safety of its citizens. Such control, he said, is incongruent with a Palestinian state (Arutz 14).

Netanyahu's statements in the last months have been interpreted as positioning against the Biden administration, including the prospect of forming a Palestinian state.

The US administration has seen Netanyahu increasingly as an obstacle to its Middle East strategy, particularly regarding a two-state solution.

There is tension between the Biden administration and Netanyahu’s government regarding post-Gaza conflict arrangements.

EU Foreign Affairs Representative Josep Borrell criticized Netanyahu and suggested that the international community impose a two-state solution.

Thomas Friedman of The New York Times wrote that Netanyahu is likely to frame his election campaign around opposing Biden's suggested Palestinian State, arguing that he alone can resist such external pressures.

The article suggests that Netanyahu’s motive for opposition might be linked to his political survival and to avoid legal consequences from his ongoing corruption trials, which he faces if he loses power.