Israel parliament backs Netanyahu’s opposition to ‘unilateral’ Palestinian state

Israel’s parliament voted on Wednesday to back Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declaration opposing the “unilateral” creation of a Palestinian state, following growing international calls for the revival of efforts to reach a two-state solution to the decades-long conflict.

Netanyahu’s Likud party said in a statement that 99 of 120 lawmakers voted to support the declaration passed earlier this week by the cabinet.

The Israeli position also says that any permanent accord with the Palestinians would have to be reached through direct negotiations between the sides, and not by international dictates.