Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said that he “hoped” US President Barack Obama would not seek to establish a Palestinian state at the United Nations.

In an interview aired on Israel’s Channel 2 on Saturday, Netanyahu was asked if Obama had promised him that he would not seek to establish a state of Palestine without Israel’s cooperation before the end of his term in January, to which he replied: “If you’re asking if he spoke to me about this, the answer is no,” The Jerusalem Post quoted Netanyahu as saying. “If you’re asking me if I am hoping that he won’t do this, the answer is yes.”

The interview came two days after Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivered speeches at the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly, during which they exchanged heated accusations regarding Israeli settlement building, the Balfour Declaration, and each other’s commitment to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

After #Obama, #Netanyahu meeting in #NewYork fate of peace is unclear https://t.co/gWx5aj4F3H pic.twitter.com/L45J3h1O4D

— Palestine Studies (@PalStudies) September 23, 2016

Over the past several months, France has been leading renewed peace efforts between Palestine and Israel with the aim of solving the decades-long conflict between the countries, an effort which Netanyahu staunchly rejected.

Netanyahu stressed that the “best way to resolve the conflict between Israel and Palestinians is through direct, bilateral negotiations” without Palestinian preconditions.

(MA’AN, PC)