Biden Emphasizes Attacks on Rafah Must Not Continue, Netanyahu Says Israel Cannot Be Forced Regarding Palestinian State

JAKARTA - United States President Joe Biden reiterated that Israel should not continue its military operations in Rafah if it could not ensure the safety of civilians, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel could not be forced to accept a Palestinian state, when the two leaders spoke on the telephone for 40 minutes.

In a post on the official website, the White House wrote that the two leaders discussed ongoing hostage negotiations, with President Biden affirming his commitment to work optimally to free all hostages as soon as possible.

"The President reiterated his view that military operations should not be carried out without a credible and executable plan to ensure security and support for civilians in Rafah," wrote the White House on its official website, as quoted on February 16.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the two leaders spoke on the phone for 40 minutes. Afterwards, PM Netanyahu emphasized that Israel could not be forced to accept a Palestinian state.

"My position can be summarized in the following two sentences," Netanyahu said in a tweet, quoted by The Times of Israel.

"Israel firmly rejects any international action dictated regarding a permanent settlement with Palestine. Such an arrangement will only be reached through direct negotiations between the parties, without preconditions," he continued.

Additionally, the prime minister said, "Israel will continue to oppose unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. Such recognition after the October 7 massacre would have an unprecedented impact on terrorism and prevent a future peace settlement."