Several other countries have officially recognized the Palestinian state at a world summit by France and Saudi Arabia, one day after Australia, Great Britain, Canada and Portugal have made the step, angry Israel.
Palestinian status
The Palestine Liberation Organization declared an independent Palestinian state in 1988, and most of the world South quickly recognized it. Today, around 150 of the 193 UN member states have done so.
The main allies of Israel, the United States, has long declared that it supported the objective of a Palestinian state, but only after the Palestinians and Israel contented themselves with terms for a solution to two states during negotiations. Until the past few weeks, the main European powers have shared this position.
However, none of the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations has taken place since 2014, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has now said that there would never be a Palestinian state.
A delegation representing the state of Palestine has the status of observer at the UN – but no voting rights. No matter how many countries recognize Palestinian independence, full UN members would require approval of the Security Council, where Washington has a veto.
Palestinian diplomatic missions around the world are controlled by the Palestinian authority, which is recognized international as representing the Palestinian people.
The AP, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, has limited autonomy in certain parts of the West Bank occupied by Israeli under the agreements with Israel. He emits Palestinian passports and directs Palestinian health and education systems.
The Gaza Strip has been administered by Hamas since 2007, when it led the Fatah of Abbas movement after a brief civil war.
Embassies?
Palestinian diplomatic missions in countries recognizing a Palestinian state should be improved in the complete status of embassies. But countries should not be able to open new full -fledged embassies in the Palestinian territories, where Israel controls access.
Forty countries have consulates or representative offices in the base of the AP West Bank, Ramallah, in certain parts of Jerusalem captured by Israel in 1967, where the Palestinians hope to have their capital.
Israel all considers Jerusalem to its own undivided capital. Full-up embassies in Israel are mainly located in Tel Aviv, although the United States has moved its embassy in Jerusalem during President Donald Trump’s first term.
Recognition objective
Countries that go to recognize a Palestinian state claim that this decision aims to put pressure on Israel to put an end to its devastating assault on Gaza, to reduce the construction of new Jewish colonies in the occupied West Bank and to revise a peace process with the Palestinians.
French President Emmanuel Macron, the first leader of a great Western power to approve recognition, said that this decision would be accompanied by an AP commitment to adopt reforms, which would improve Palestinian governance and make it a more credible partner for the post-war administration of Gaza.
What does recognition in practice mean?
Those who consider recognition as a simple gesture indicates the limited influence in the country’s conflict such as China, India, Russia and many Arab states that recognized Palestinian independence from decades ago.
Without a complete seat at the UN or the control of its own borders, the AP has only a limited capacity to carry out bilateral relations.
Israel limits access to goods, investments and educational or cultural exchanges. There is no Palestinian airports. The landlocked West Bank can only be reached through Israel or by the Israeli border with Jordan, and Israel now controls all access to the Gaza Strip from the capture of the Gaza border with Egypt during the current war.
However, the countries that planned recognition and the AP himself say that it would be more than an empty gesture.
Husam Zomlot, head of the Palestinian mission in the United Kingdom, said it could lead to partnerships between entities on an equal footing.
This could also force countries to review the aspects of their relations with Israel, said Vincent Fean, a former British diplomat in Jerusalem.
In the case of Great Britain, this could lead to the ban on products that come from the Israeli colonies in the occupied Palestinian territories, he said, even if the practical impact on the Israeli economy would be minimal.
We, the reaction of Israel
Israel, faced with a global outcry on his conduct in the Gaza War, says that recognition rewards Hamas for attacks against Israel which precipitated war in October 2023.
“A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan river,” said Prime Minister Netanyahu.
The United States is opposed to recognition movements by its European allies. He imposed sanctions on Palestinian officials, in particular by preventing Abbas and other personalities from the AP to participate in the United Nations General Assembly by refusing and revoking visas.
