A Palestinian state will exist with or without Israel's approval - opinion

Israel’s strategic deal to end the war with Hamas has been on the table for months. This deal includes:

1. A ceasefire in the fighting in the Gaza Strip and in the North.

2. The release of the hostages.

3. The return of tens of thousands of displaced Israelis to their homes.

4. The end of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

5. The creation of a temporary governing framework for the Gaza Strip.

6. The creation of a financial mechanism for the restoration of the Strip.

7. Normalization with Saudi Arabia, the largest and most important of the Middle East countries.

8. Securing Saudi and American interests against the Iranians.

9. Strengthening the alliance of moderate countries in the Middle East and stabilizing those moderates against the Iranian jihadists.

10. Marking a clear political horizon towards the recognition of a Palestinian state.

Despite the last condition of the deal, Prime Minister Netanyahu and other politicians have stated in the past that they will prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, so it can now be expected that there will be a lot of spin against the strategic deal to end the war. A deal, that everyone who was here on the night of the Iranian missiles and drones on April 14 knows, is the only one that will guarantee the Israeli interest.

The Palestinians are not going anywhere and the Israeli interest is to make sure that they become part of the moderates and not the jihadists.

The Iranian attack on Israel (credit: REUTERS)

The Iranian attack on Israel (credit: REUTERS)

Secondly, the question of whether or not there will be recognition of a Palestinian state does not depend on Israel. The Knesset of Israel can make any decision it wants regarding the recognition of a Palestinian state but legally and diplomatically, it is simply not within its authority. International law determines the conditions for recognizing the existence of a state.

There are four main conditions that exist in relation to the Palestinians:

1. A permanent population that expresses a desire for the aspirations of the national movement.

2. Defined territory. According to international law, the lack of agreed borders is not a problem in this respect.

3. Effective governance. There is a government, even if there are various limitations to its independent action in certain areas (such as airspace) or in certain areas, such as the Gaza Strip.

4. The possibility of maintaining foreign relations with other countries. This refers to the exchange of ambassadors and the ability to be bound by international treaties. Although the Palestinians committed in the Oslo Accords and not to have foreign relations, they are doing it in practice. They have embassies in many countries and there are over 140 countries that have already recognized the Palestinian entity as a state.

If Israel does not have a right to veto the recognition of a Palestinian state, we must question why one of the conditions of the deal is a requirement for Israel to indicate a clear political horizon towards the recognition of a Palestinian state.

Palestinians after crossing the border fence with Israel in the Gaza Strip, October 7, 2023 (credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90)

Palestinians after crossing the border fence with Israel in the Gaza Strip, October 7, 2023 (credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90)

For the past thirty years, thanks to the Oslo Accords, some of the most influential countries in the world have avoided recognizing Palestine as a state. The reason for this is that the dominant approach, led by the Americans, was that the recognition of the state of Palestine would be achieved within the framework of the negotiations for a permanent settlement between Israel and the Palestinians.

One of the great failures of Netanyahu’s strategic plan is the thought that the renewal of negotiations with the Palestinians could be postponed indefinitely. This is actually what he was busy with during the many years of his government. For this reason, he strengthened Hamas and weakened the Palestinian Authority. Netanyahu also hoped to promote normalization with Saudi Arabia without the Palestinian issue being addressed. The October 7 massacre displays the stark failure of this plan.

What does a Palestinian state mean without Israel’s approval? The United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and others will agree to recognize a Palestinian state. It’s as simple as that.

Israel will have another opportunity, probably the last, to protect the Israeli interest within the steps of recognizing the Palestinian state. That is, connecting the State of Palestine to the moderate Muslim sector. For example, Israel must demand conditions that the Palestinian government must meet in order to gain recognition, including that the Palestinian government recognize the State of Israel, that the Palestinian education system be de-radicalized, and that the Palestinian state be demilitarized.

In conclusion, Israel has no right to veto the recognition of a Palestinian state. A “full-fledged” Palestinian state will exist with or without Israel’s approval. Therefore, we, the public, must demand that the government take responsibility and guarantee that the Palestinian state will be of moderate nature and not taken over by jihadists.