JERUSALEM/CAIRO /LISBON - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday denounced the decision by Britain, Canada and Australia to recognize a Palestinian state.

"I have a clear message to those leaders who recognize a Palestinian state after the terrible massacre of October 7," Netanyahu said, referring to Hamas' attack on southern Israel in October 2023. "You are giving a huge reward to terrorism."

He added, "It will not happen, there will not be a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River."

He added that he will give a response to the latest recognition after his return from the United States. "Wait for it," he said.

Welcoming the move by the three countries, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said, "It constitutes an important and necessary step toward achieving a just and lasting peace in accordance with international legitimacy," according to a statement by his office.

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit also welcomed the recognition of an independent State of Palestine by Britain, Canada and Australia.

In a post on his X account, Aboul-Gheit said the recognition "corrects a historical error that has persisted for years."

He added that the move also aligns with the demands of the people in those countries to support the Palestinian right to independence and to live with dignity.

"We anticipate more impactful international recognitions soon," he said.

West Bank

Israeli cabinet ministers urged the annexation of the occupied West Bank in response to the three countries’ recognition of a Palestinian state.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right member of Netanyahu's coalition, called for "immediate countermeasures." Writing on X, he urged "the immediate application of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria," using Israel's term for the West Bank, and said Israel must "crush" the internationally-recognized Palestinian Authority.

Ben-Gvir said he would submit a proposal for annexing the West Bank at the next cabinet meeting.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, another far-right coalition partner, also pressed Netanyahu to impose Israeli sovereignty over the territory to "remove the foolish idea of a Palestinian state from the agenda forever."

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"Mr Prime Minister, this is the time, and it is in your hands," Smotrich said.

Both ministers, who lead pro-settler parties and live in West Bank settlements, stopped short of threatening to leave the coalition.

They have long advocated annexation of the West Bank and the rebuilding of settlements in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli forces have been fighting for almost two years in an offensive the United Nations has described as genocidal.

Also on Sunday, Portugal officially recognized the State of Palestine, according to the Lusa News Agency.

"Today, the Portuguese State officially recognizes the State of Palestine," Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel declared at the Portuguese UN mission in New York, emphasizing that the country believes a two-state solution "is the only path to peace."

"It is more than time to take the necessary steps for peace," Lusa news agency quoted Rangel as saying.

On Saturday, the Palestinian National Authority welcomed Portugal's announcement of its intention to formally recognize the State of Palestine, describing the decision as "courageous and consistent with international law."

Gaza

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said that more than half of Gaza City's residents have fled, as Israel threatened to intensify its ground and air assault on the city.

The military stated that "more than 550,000" civilians had evacuated. Xinhua could not independently verify the figure.

The military added that three full divisions had completed their advance into Gaza City and were now operating in what it described as Hamas strongholds.

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Israel announced last week a large-scale operation to seize Gaza City, the enclave's largest urban center, with officials vowing to destroy what remains of the already devastated city.

Israel seized the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and has maintained its control over these territories, where the Palestinians wish to establish their future state, despite international criticism.

The Gaza health authorities said four more people died on Sunday from famine and malnutrition, bringing the total to 440, including 147 children. It said Israeli strikes and gunfire have killed at least 65,283 people and injured 166,575 since Oct 7, 2023.