Netanyahu stands firm

ISRAEL'S Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to oppose any attempt to establish a Palestinian state, a day before the United Nations Security Council is due to vote on a United States-drafted resolution on Gaza that leaves the door open to Palestinian independence.

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Mr 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. However, as the US attempts to push forward with its Gaza ceasefire proposal, he faces heavy international pressure to show flexibility.

The UN Security Council is expected to vote on a US proposal for a UN mandate for an international stabilisation force in Gaza despite opposition from Russia, China and some Arab countries.