'Tried and failed': Palestinian state would be suicidal for Israel, FM tells Newsmax

Several Western countries have said that they will back recognition of a Palestinian state, expressing frustration over Israel’s conduct in its war against Hamas. For Sa'ar, this is "suicidal."

Accepting a Palestinian state would be suicidal for Israel, particularly after the last time it gave up land in Gaza, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar told Newsmax on Wednesday.

Several Western countries have said that they will back recognition of a Palestinian state, including Australia, Canada, France, and the UK, expressing frustration over Israel’s conduct in its war against Hamas.

"In the international community, it's become a slogan, two-state solution. Who said it's the solution? It's probably the problem. I say it's the two-state illusion," Sa’ar said.

"The fact is that we already tried this genius idea," Sa'ar continued, “We did it when we totally withdrew in 2005 from [the] Gaza Strip. What was called, at the time, the disengagement plan, 20 years ago. We dismantled all our military camps, all our communities, even the graves from the cemeteries.

“But still, the way they responded [was] to build the largest terror kingdom on earth. And it took a very short time after when they attacked time and again with missiles. And it took 16 years from the day that Hamas took over [the] Gaza Strip [in 2007] to Oct. 7," Sa’ar said.

Oslo Accords and the Palestinian Authority's responsibilities with Israel

Sa’ar highlighted that according to the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority bears responsibility for preventing terrorism in Israel. However, if one visits their jails, Sa’ar pointed out, “There [are] no terrorists there. So, the concept was to give them independence, and they will take care of the security. But not only didn't they do that, but our security situation deteriorated because every place we left became a huge base of terrorism.”

He argued that giving them a state with “control over the border, over the sky,” and allowing them to form alliances with radical actors, would be suicide from the point of view of Israel.

“We will have to live with the consequences," he said, "and when they are giving slogans like 'We will give you a state, but without Hamas', who will enforce that?”

He stressed the short distance Gaza is from Jewish communities in Israel. “It's like running 1 mile, 2 miles, and you can kill Jews.”

"So, it is extremely dangerous for Israeli security, and this is why this idea that once was more popular, in Israel almost no one supports that,” he said.