Following signals of support from several nations, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar asserts that recognizing Palestinian statehood would reward Hamas.
Israel will respond if countries unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state, according to Foreign Minister Gideon Saar.
Saar issued this warning at a joint press conference with his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul, on Sunday, after several nations indicated their intention to recognize Palestine.
The Israeli diplomat argued that such unilateral actions would hinder the peace process and force Israel to take responsive measures.
Currently, 147 countries, including Russia and most nations in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, recognize Palestinian sovereignty. However, most Western European countries, along with Israel and the US, do not officially recognize Palestine as a sovereign state. Many advocate for Palestinian recognition as the key to resolving the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, which intensified in 2023 with Israel’s military operation in Gaza following a Hamas attack.
Saar described these initiatives as “not constructive but counterproductive” and said they serve “as a prize for Hamas terror.”
Wadephul stated that a two-state solution remains “the best chance for Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace, security, and dignity.”
The Media Line reported Sunday, citing diplomatic sources, that US President Donald Trump might formally recognize Palestine at the upcoming Gulf-US summit in Saudi Arabia.
Despite US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee denying any such plans, speculation has increased following Trump’s comments earlier this month in a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Trump repeatedly alluded to “a very, very big announcement about a certain subject,” to be revealed either before or during his upcoming trip to the Middle East.
Last month, French President Emmanuel Macron suggested that France could recognize a Palestinian state as early as June, during a United Nations conference in New York.
Russia has long supported a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, reaffirming this position during a recent meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Moscow. Russia has also urged an immediate end to the violence in Gaza.
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