Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned he would retaliate if the Palestinian Authority declared a Palestinian state next year. While refusing to spell out what steps he would take, the premier told the Foreign Press Association that Israel could not “accept the formation of a new Iraq or Iran next to our doorstep.” His statement came after Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat reiterated over the weekend that he would declare Palestinian statehood in May 1999, the deadline for the two sides to reach a final-status agreement.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.