Dangers and Defects of Recognising a Palestinian State

Introduction & Overview

The current diplomatic drive by members of the international community to recognise a Palestinian state without Israeli consent is ill-conceived and fraught with defects and dangers. First of all, it stymied the recent progress towards a ceasefire and hostage exchange deal in Gaza, as Hamas leaders instantly realised they could harden their demands and still gain statehood. It also abandoned the remaining Israeli hostages to the cruel hands of Hamas, which is deliberately starving to death those hostages who are still alive.

This misguided campaign, if continued, also would severely undermine peace and stability in the Middle East, and erode established international law that has served the community of nations well in modern times. Further, it would mark a sharp and problematic departure from the longstanding international consensus that the Israel-Palestinian conflict is best resolved through direct negotiations between the parties themselves.

Such unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood at this time fails for multiple reasons:

Rewarding Terrorism Post‑October 7

(1)In the wake of the October 7 terror massacres, it would be a reward for Hamas terrorism and a grotesque, insensitive gesture in the face of the worst atrocities committed against the Jewish state and people since the Holocaust.

Lack of Unified Palestinian Authority

(2)The Palestinians do not meet the criteria for statehood, as they do not have a sole, unified authority in effective control of the territories they claim. The Palestinian Authority is rife with corruption and has lost its legitimacy in the eyes of most Palestinians, while Hamas is a radical and irredeemable terror militia that should not be granted legitimacy from any quarter. Further, the Palestinian Authority continues to reject Israel’s existence as a Jewish state, as evidenced by its official media outlets and schoolbooks which still openly deny Israel’s rightful place in the region, and indoctrinate future generations towards hatred and violence against Israel, thus revealing their true intentions.

Political Division Undermines True Statehood

(3)The drive to recognise Palestinian statehood under current circumstances shows profound ignorance of the present division of roles within Palestinian politics. Though still complicit in acts of terror, the Palestinian Authority has largely opted to wage lawfare to delegitimise Israel and secure Palestinian statehood in all the historic Land of Israel, while Hamas has chosen to stay on the path of “armed resistance” – i.e., terrorism and violence. By granting recognition of a Palestinian state amid the prolonged conflict ignited by the October 7 massacres, the international community is telling the Palestinians that terror and violence bring results, thereby bolstering Hamas vis-à-vis the PA and setting back peace efforts perhaps for generations.

Israel’s Historic and Legal Sovereignty Claims

(4)Israel has a superior legal and historic right and claim to sovereignty in the disputed territories in relation to the Palestinians, which was duly recognised through binding decisions by the international community at the San Remo Conference of 1920 and in the British Mandate in Palestine adopted by the League of Nations in 1922.

Violation of Foundational Agreements

(5)Granting recognition of a Palestinian state without Israel’s consent would not only violate the Oslo Accords of 1993 – to which many of the nations now considering recognition were witnesses – it also would break from decades of binding UN Security Council resolutions built on the sound principle of direct bilateral negotiations. Such a breach would represent a serious betrayal of Israel’s trust, and would sacrifice the sanctity of international agreements on the altar of political expediency.

Destabilizing Peace and False Hopes

(6)Such a move would derail peace efforts and destabilise the region by giving the Palestinians false hopes that they can unilaterally achieve statehood outside of direct bilateral talks with Israel.

Breaching EU Diplomatic Principles

(7)Those European nations who are supporting this diplomatic initiative are violating the European Union’s customary practice of acting only by consensus on major foreign policy issues, as several EU member states firmly oppose this effort.

Domestic Political Motivations

(8)Some nations considering this move are doing so for narrow domestic interests, such as France seeking to appease the growing threat of radical Islamist elements within its borders.

Fueling Global Antisemitism

(9)This campaign for recognition of a Palestinian state is a feeble and reckless response to the current wave of global antisemitism and will only add more fuel to this societal scourge around the world, which all nations must now confront with courage and not cowardice.

ICEJ’s Call to Action

Focus on Ceasefire and Hostage Release

We call on the international community to discard with the current ill-advised diplomatic effort to force Palestinian statehood upon Israel and to focus instead on the immediate need to conclude a ceasefire and hostage release deal that also addresses the future administration of Gaza. Such an agreement must include the safe return of all living and deceased Israeli hostages in Gaza, and the disarming and universal banishment of Hamas.

Mobilizing Christians for Prayer and Advocacy

We also call on Christians everywhere to act and pray in line with this principled, moral stand, and especially to reach out to their communities and national leaders concerning the errors and dangers of unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. Now is the time to faithfully pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and to speak out boldly against antisemitism and for a just peace built on biblical truths and principles.

Dr. Jürgen Bühler, President, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem

David R. Parsons, Senior Vice President & Spokesman, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem

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