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Historical Shifts in Support for Palestine: Increasing International Recognition Amid Israeli Escalation
In a historic moment, as described by Palestine's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Riyad Mansour, Belgium is expected to announce its full recognition of the State of Palestine today, Monday. This move will join the ranks of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Portugal, which officially announced their recognition of the Palestinian state yesterday. This shift marks a significant change in the policies of these traditionally allied countries with Israel and comes amidst ongoing political developments and the suffering in Gaza, nearly two years after the outbreak of war there.
This step has sparked a wave of criticism in Israel, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his complete rejection in a video message to leaders of the UK, Australia, and Canada on Sunday, stating that "there will be no Palestinian state." Netanyahu added that establishing a Palestinian state threatens the existence of the Israeli state, despite his previous pledge to engage in diplomatic confrontation at the UN against recognition of the Palestinian state.
On the other hand, the United States described the move as "performance-driven," with a US State Department official, who refused to be named, affirming that the focus remains on serious diplomacy and protecting Israel's security, regardless of recent international recognitions.
These developments coincided with the start of the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York, where a summit led by Saudi Arabia and France regarding the future of a two-state solution is taking place. Many countries, led by France, are expected to reaffirm their recognition of the State of Palestine.
Meanwhile, Israeli military attacks escalated significantly, with attempts to control Gaza City. This follows an independent international investigation by the UN, which last Tuesday accused Israel of "genocide" in the besieged and devastated Gaza Strip. Additionally, the UN announced last month that a famine has occurred in Gaza.
It is noteworthy that 147 out of 193 UN member states currently recognize the State of Palestine, declared by the Palestine Liberation Organization in 1988, but recent recognitions have increased international support for the Palestinian people and their cause.
