Nov 17, Kathmandu - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed his strong opposition to any attempt to establish a Palestinian state and reiterated his commitment to firmly block such initiatives.

Meanwhile, international diplomatic activity has intensified as the UN Security Council approaches a vote on a US-drafted resolution on Gaza, which has taken on added political significance as it leaves open the possibility of Palestinian self-determination.

Netanyahu has argued for years that a Palestinian state would ultimately empower Hamas and create the possibility of a large Hamas-run state on Israel's borders. But the United States has come under intense international pressure to appear flexible as it advances a more sophisticated proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The Security Council is expected to vote on a US resolution that includes provisions for deploying an international stabilization force in Gaza, despite strong objections from Russia, China and some Arab countries.

Hamas and other Palestinian groups have objected to the resolution, calling it a move to impose an “international mandate” on Gaza. They accuse it of being biased against Israel and denying the Palestinians the right to manage their own affairs. They say it explicitly demands that any stabilization force be directly under the control of the United Nations and that Israel not be included in that structure.

Hamas has strongly rejected the mention of disarming Gaza in the US proposal. Netanyahu warned in a meeting with his ministers on Sunday that the demilitarization of Gaza would be carried out “either the easy way or the hard way.”