Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that as long as he remains Israel's leader, a Palestinian state would not be established.

Asked by the Israeli news site NRG if no Palestinian state would arise should he remain prime minister, Netanyahu said: "Indeed." His remarks appeared aimed at rallying right-wing support, a day before Israel's election. Opinion polls show Netanyahu's Likud party trailing the centre-left Zionist Union alliance. Netanyahu has said in the past he envisaged the creation of a demilitarised Palestinian state as part of a permanent peace deal.