Observers and the wider Arab public are divided over the wave of international recognitions of the State of Palestine. Some view it with optimism, considering these recognitions a necessary step — even a leap — towards moving Palestine from the “ink of resolutions” to the reality of statehood. Others remain cautious, seeing the recognitions as largely symbolic, extremely delayed, and unlikely to improve the lives of Palestinians.
More importantly, these declarations come as a substitute for the international community’s failure to stop the massacre, curb Israel’s ongoing aggression, or uphold justice in the face of nearly two years of systematic killing, starvation, and displacement of Palestinians.
Why We Should Temper Our Optimism
The truth lies somewhere between exaggerated optimism and total pessimism. We cannot ignore the significance of these recognitions, but we must also recognise their limits. The recent “tsunami” of recognitions — including from three Anglo-Saxon allies, Britain, Australia, and Canada — carries reasons for both hope and caution.
1. Too Little, Too Late
Recognition came without punitive measures against Israel: no sanctions to halt the massacre, no action to stop the unchecked wave of settlements, and no accountability for the only rogue state in the region — indeed, in the world.
It also came far too late:
- Over a century after the infamous Balfour Declaration that planted the Zionist entity on the ruins of Palestine’s indigenous people.
- More than three-quarters of a century after Israel’s establishment in defiance of UN partition plans.
- Over fifty years since the occupation of the very territory intended for the Palestinian state — the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem.
- More than three decades since Madrid and Oslo.
Worse still, recognitions come at a time when Israel’s far-right government is systematically destroying every prospect of a viable, contiguous, sovereign Palestinian state. Forced displacement is not confined to Gaza — it is expanding in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Israel is dismantling the three pillars of statehood: land, people, and political authority.
2. Recognitions with Conditions
Many recognitions were tied to conditions and “checklists”:
- Calls for deep restructuring of the Palestinian Authority, primarily to reinforce its security role in serving Israel while suppressing resistance.
- Demands to eliminate Hamas politically, militarily, and geographically.
- Others conditioned recognition on the fate of 20 Israeli hostages, while ignoring over 11,000 Palestinian prisoners enduring daily torture, humiliation, and starvation.
The message is clear: a state in exchange for reshaping Palestinian identity, memory, and resistance on Israel’s terms.
3. Driven by Global Public Opinion, Not Moral Duty
These recognitions would not have happened without a global shift in public opinion against Israel’s fabricated narrative. Governments acted pragmatically, fearing electoral backlash rather than motivated by conscience.
This wave is more about compensating for inaction than a genuine awakening. Yet, the popular momentum behind it could ensure durability — driven by younger generations freed from the Zionist myth of “moral superiority” and from the intimidation of “anti-Semitism” accusations.
4. Ambiguity over Borders and Sovereignty
Many recognitions deliberately avoided defining Palestine’s borders as outlined in the 1988 Declaration of Independence. Few affirmed the 1967 lines, leaving the file open for endless disputes.
In effect, this paves the way for a “state” stripped of sovereignty and geography — a collection of isolated enclaves in the West Bank with maximum population but minimum land, leaving Israel’s claim to “eternal, united Jerusalem” untouched.
Yes, There Is an Opportunity — But With Caution
Those celebrating call this a “historic day,” arguing that the Palestinian cause will never be the same. They cite several points:
- Diplomatic upgrading: Palestine gaining embassies with full privileges after recognition from nearly 80% of UN member states, surpassing recognitions of Israel itself.
- From “people under occupation” to “state under occupation”: Although this framing may not change realities on the ground, it adds symbolic weight.
- Deepening Israel’s isolation: Recognition increases global pressure on Israel and its protector, the United States, potentially forcing them — in time — to bend under international consensus.
Indeed, these recognitions are a step in the right direction, but only because they rest on the sacrifice of Gaza. The true credit goes first and foremost to the people of Gaza, who endured nearly two years of genocide, starvation, and bombardment.
It is owed to the blood of over 250,000 martyrs, wounded, missing, and imprisoned Palestinians. It is owed to the resistance fighters who refused to surrender, keeping their banner of steadfastness high despite overwhelming odds. Without their endurance, diplomacy would have had nothing to stand on.
Internal Palestinian Challenges
The opportunity will remain wasted if the Palestinian political system, decayed and fragmented, cannot rise to the occasion. The Authority’s exclusivity, authoritarianism, and reliance on external dictates rather than internal unity make it an obstacle to genuine statehood.
Hamas too must reassess its role and image after the war. The future of the Palestinian project depends not only on resistance but also on how movements position themselves in the post-war era. This requires collective Palestinian intellect and leadership, not isolated decisions.
Regional and International Imperatives
The Arab world has failed repeated tests — from the Doha emergency summit to the broader war. Now is the time to harness this international momentum into practical measures:
- Ending free normalisation with Israel.
- Closing Arab skies to Israeli aircraft.
- Imposing sanctions and boycotts on the apartheid, genocidal Zionist entity.
The task is not to compete over which Arab capital triggered the “tsunami of recognitions,” nor to boast about humanitarian aid. The task is to coordinate real action to isolate Israel, hold it accountable, and ensure it pays the price. Only then can symbolic recognitions translate into meaningful realities.
On the international stage, efforts must break the U.S. veto, used six times to shield Israel’s massacres. The General Assembly — through the “Uniting for Peace” mechanism — should move to pass a resolution branding Zionism as a form of racism and racial discrimination.
Israel has resurrected the legacy of South African apartheid — but in an even more brutal, genocidal form. It belongs in the dustbin of history.
