ALBAWABA- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel must ultimately maintain military control over the occupied West Bank, describing the position as non-negotiable for Israel’s security amid what he called unprecedented regional threats.
Speaking in a Fox News interview, Netanyahu told host Sean Hannity that Israel had emerged “stronger than ever” from what he described as a “seven-front war.”
Netanyahu cited simultaneous confrontations with Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthi forces in Yemen, armed groups in Iraq and Syria, Iran, and militant factions in the West Bank, arguing that recent military operations had reinforced Israel’s position as the “strongest country in the Middle East.” He framed continued control of the West Bank as essential to preventing future attacks.
On Gaza, Netanyahu reiterated support for moving to Phase II of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire, which includes international involvement in reconstruction, but said Israel would block any role for the Palestinian Authority unless it undergoes what he described as substantial reforms.
He also warned that Iran’s ballistic missile program remains an existential threat, calling for sustained U.S.-Israeli coordination to counter Tehran.
Addressing Syria, Netanyahu said Israel would seek “peace borders” following the December 2024 ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, emphasizing the need to protect minorities such as the Druze while maintaining Israeli control over the Golan Heights. He also defended Israel’s recent recognition of Somaliland, portraying the move as part of a broader strategy to counter regional instability.
The interview took place days after Netanyahu met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, where both leaders acknowledged differences over the future of the West Bank, despite their continued strategic alignment on security and regional policy. Trump later confirmed that the two sides had not reached full agreement on the issue.
Netanyahu’s remarks reflect a hardened Israeli position on territorial control following the Gaza war that began in October 2023, in which Israel has killed more than 71,000 Palestinians and hundreds of thousands of injured and displaced, according to Palestinian sources.
