Ben-Gvir urges assassinations of Palestinian leaders if UN advances statehood plan
S Arefin 
Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for the “targeted assassinations” of senior Palestinian Authority (PA) officials if the United Nations moves toward recognising a Palestinian state. He also demanded the arrest of PA President Mahmoud Abbas, remarks that have drawn sharp condemnation from Palestinian leaders and renewed concern among diplomats.
UN statehood debate and Gaza plan
The comments came hours before the UN Security Council voted on a US-drafted resolution creating an international stabilisation force for Gaza. The text also refers to a “credible pathway” toward a future Palestinian state if Gaza is demilitarised and the PA carries out wide reforms.
For Ben-Gvir and other far-right members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, even a conditional reference to statehood is unacceptable. They argue that any Palestinian state would threaten Israel’s existence and reward what they describe as terrorism.
Ben-Gvir’s threat of “targeted assassinations”
Speaking at his party’s faction meeting in the Knesset, Ben-Gvir warned that if the UN recognises or accelerates steps toward a Palestinian state, Netanyahu should respond with force. He urged the prime minister to order targeted killings of senior PA officials and to jail Abbas in solitary confinement.
The minister framed his call as a necessary measure to deter international pressure on Israel. However, his words go far beyond normal political criticism, effectively urging extrajudicial killings of recognised political leaders.
Palestinian leadership condemns “incitement”
The Palestinian presidency in Ramallah condemned the remarks as an explicit incitement to murder the Palestinian leadership. It said Israel’s government bears full responsibility for any attempt on Abbas’s life or on other senior officials.
Palestinian officials also appealed to the international community to intervene. They argued that such threats highlight the dangers facing any political process and show why international protection for Palestinians is urgently needed.
Coalition tensions and Israeli politics
Ben-Gvir’s statement comes as Netanyahu balances intense domestic pressure from his right-wing allies with growing international demands for a political horizon. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has also vowed to block any plan that mentions Palestinian statehood and has threatened to destabilise the coalition.
Meanwhile, centrist and opposition figures inside Israel warn that such rhetoric isolates the country diplomatically. They argue that openly rejecting any path to statehood risks clashes not only with the UN but also with key allies in Washington and Europe.
Legal and human rights concerns
Human rights groups say Ben-Gvir’s proposal would clearly violate international law. Targeted assassinations of political leaders outside an active battlefield could amount to extrajudicial executions, prohibited under international human rights standards and the UN Charter.
They also stress that such calls deepen a climate of dehumanisation that has already fuelled widespread abuses against Palestinians, including reports of harsh treatment of detainees and heavy civilian casualties in Gaza and the West Bank.
What the UN decision could mean
Despite far-right opposition, the Security Council has now adopted the US-backed resolution on Gaza, which includes the stabilisation force and a vague statehood reference.
The vote does not create a Palestinian state, nor does it guarantee one. However, it signals that international diplomats still see a two-state outcome, however distant, as the only long-term solution. As a result, Israel’s internal political struggle over this issue is likely to intensify.
For Palestinians, Ben-Gvir’s threats are another reminder of how fragile their leadership’s position remains. For Israelis, his words highlight the deep divisions within the government over how to deal with mounting global pressure for a political settlement.
Image: Collected
About The Author
Sultanul Arefin 
Suzan Seherin 
