Sri Lanka, Nov. 16 -- Israel on Sunday reaffirmed its opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state, a day before the United Nations Security Council is scheduled to vote on a U.S.-backed resolution supporting the so-called 20-point Gaza peace plan. Hamas later condemned the remarks, saying they revealed Israel's "expansionist tendencies."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu restated the position at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting. "Our opposition to a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River stands firm and has not changed in the slightest," he said.

Netanyahu said the U.S. plan calls for a demilitarized Gaza and the dismantling of Hamas's military capabilities. "Hamas will be stripped of its weapons, either the eas...