Israel’s FM Sa’ar: Palestinian State ‘Would Be Suicidal’ — Tells France and Canada to ‘Establish It on Your Territory’

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar delivered a blunt rejection of international two-state solution pressure Wednesday, telling a delegation of American journalists that “a Palestinian state in the heart of Israel would indeed be a solution—for those who seek to eliminate us” and suggesting Western nations advocating for Palestinian statehood should “establish it on their own territory” instead.

Speaking during a briefing with senior journalists from Newsmax and other major American media outlets visiting Israel as part of the Foreign Ministry’s public diplomacy efforts, Sa’ar warned that “Establishing a Palestinian state within the ’67 borders, with its capital in East Jerusalem—a short distance from here—would put Israel’s population centers in grave danger, and would push Israel to borders that cannot be defended.” The foreign minister’s stark assessment comes as mounting international pressure from European allies continues to advocate for Palestinian state recognition in the wake of the October 7 Hamas massacre.

Sa’ar characterized the prospect of a Palestinian state in Israel’s historic heartland as fundamentally existential, explaining that “when we are told: Establish a Palestinian state here, on these hills, close to us, at the shortest distance from all our population centers—Jerusalem, the coastal area, it is clear that such a move would be suicidal.” He pointed to the proximity of proposed Palestinian territory to major Israeli population centers as creating an untenable security situation that would leave Israel vulnerable to the same kind of terrorist attacks that devastated the country on October 7.

The foreign minister’s comments represent the latest escalation in Israel’s diplomatic pushback against growing European recognition of Palestinian statehood, with France, Britain under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Canada all moving toward formal recognition despite Hamas leadership openly celebrating such moves as direct rewards for terrorism. Hamas political bureau member Ghazi Hamad recently boasted that “the initiative by several countries to recognize a Palestinian state is one of the fruits of October 7,” explicitly crediting the terrorist massacre with spurring Western diplomatic concessions.

Sa’ar’s message to international advocates was direct and unapologetic, suggesting that nations like France and Canada have sufficient territory within their own borders to accommodate a Palestinian state if they truly believe such an entity would contribute to regional stability. “If large countries like France and Canada want to establish a Palestinian state on their territory, they can—they have enough land,” Sa’ar stated. “But here, in the Land of Israel, it will not happen.”

The foreign minister’s defiant stance echoes previous warnings he delivered to European nations last month, when he declared Israel would not become “the Czechoslovakia of the 21st century” in reference to the failed appeasement policies that preceded World War II. Sa’ar has consistently argued that international pressure for Palestinian statehood actually undermines ceasefire negotiations by emboldening Hamas to maintain hardline positions, confident that Western nations will ultimately reward their terrorist tactics with diplomatic recognition.

Sa’ar’s warnings proved prescient as Hamas terrorists celebrated yet another Western concession Wednesday, with Hamas co-founder Sheikh Hassan Yousef praising Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s “courageous” decision to recognize a Palestinian state at next month’s U.N. General Assembly. The Hamas leader lauded Australia’s move as reflecting “political courage and a commitment to the values of justice,” while Hamas media director Ismail Al-Thawabta declared that “while recognition has come late, better late than never” and demanded Australia translate recognition into “concrete actions” pressuring Israel.

Sa’ar’s briefing comes as the Trump administration maintains unwavering support for Israel’s security concerns while rejecting European pressure campaigns. President Trump has repeatedly characterized moves toward Palestinian state recognition as “a reward for Hamas,” while Secretary of State Marco Rubio has described such initiatives as “a slap in the face” to victims of the October 7 massacre. Israeli officials have responded to the Hamas praise with mockery, with Sa’ar himself taking to social media to highlight the terrorist group’s embrace of Albanese’s policy.

The timing of Sa’ar’s remarks underscores the growing divide between American and European approaches to the ongoing Gaza conflict, with European leaders calling for Palestinian state recognition as a way of pressuring Israel, not Hamas, to end the war while the terror group continues to hold hostages and reject ceasefire terms. The Trump administration maintains that any legitimate governance arrangement must begin with Hamas’s complete dismantlement and the return of all hostages.

Sa’ar’s Wednesday briefing reinforced his position that a Palestinian state within the proposed borders would represent an existential security threat to Israel, with the foreign minister maintaining that such arrangements would place Israeli population centers at unacceptable risk while rewarding the very terrorism that prompted international calls for statehood recognition.