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Empty Gestures Set Back the Cause of Palestinian Statehood

(Washington Post) Editorial - On a symbolic level, Palestinians' dream of an independent state has never appeared closer. At the UN General Assembly in September, Britain, France, Canada and Australia plan to join 147 other countries in recognizing one. But on the level that matters - the ground truth - rarely has the goal of Palestinian statehood seemed more distant. After nearly two years of war against Hamas in Gaza - sparked after the terrorist group killed 1,200 Israelis and took 250 people hostage - the vast majority of Israelis, 71%, oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state, compared to roughly half a decade ago. Recognizing a state now comes at the wrong time. It actually sets back efforts to find a lasting peace. The establishment of a Palestinian state was always envisioned as the end goal of a process in which Israelis agree to swap conquered land for a guaranteed peace. But at the core, the future Palestinian state must recognize Israel's right to exist and renounce violence and terrorism. That means removing from any government role groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad, whose calling cards are the elimination of the Jewish state. It means erasing from the education of young Palestinians in schools and mosques that insidious hatred of Israel and the Jewish people. Palestinians already have a symbolic de facto state. They have their own passports, and their athletes compete in international sporting events, including the Olympics, under the Palestinian flag. Making the state a reality, if it ever happens, will take much more than symbolic recognition. It will require the eradication of Hamas, ironclad security guarantees for Israel, and internationally agreed upon borders. All that can only possibly come through painstaking negotiations that win buy in from Israelis and Palestinians.
2025-08-26 00:00:00
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