Netanyahu draws red line on Palestinian statehood

Ahead of a UN vote, Bibi doubles down as West Bank violence mounts

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ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday vowed to oppose any attempt to establish a Palestinian state, a day before the UN Security Council will vote on a US-drafted resolution on Gaza that leaves the door open to Palestinian independence.

Netanyahu has long ruled out Palestinian independence, asserting that creating a Palestinian state would reward Hamas and eventually lead to an even larger Hamas-run state on Israel's borders. But as the US attempts to push forward with its Gaza ceasefire proposal, he faces heavy international pressure to show flexibility.