Recognition as a Gesture for Votes, Not a Path to Peace
Recognition as a Gesture for Votes, Not a Path to Peace
According to IranGate News Agency, while the process of recognizing the State of Palestine by some Western governments has accelerated, these developments have elicited varied reactions among political analysts, Israeli officials, and Palestinian activists.
In the latest virtual meeting held by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, three prominent experts from different perspectives—legal, political, and media—examined the hidden dimensions and apparent consequences of these diplomatic actions.
This discussion, attended by Tal Becker, former legal advisor to Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Samer Sinijlawi, a prominent activist in the Fatah movement, and Isabelle Lasserre, diplomatic correspondent for the French newspaper Le Figaro, unveiled more complex challenges hidden behind the seemingly righteous political decisions of some governments, ranging from the crisis of Palestinian leadership legitimacy to Israeli security concerns and European governments exploiting this issue for domestic purposes.
Recognition of Palestine: A Diplomatic Challenge Between Political Reality and Public Opinion
On September 18, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy hosted a virtual panel with three prominent international figures: Tal Becker, Israeli legal expert and deputy director of the Shalom Hartman Institute, Samer Sinijlawi, Palestinian political activist and chairman of the Jerusalem Development Fund, and Isabelle Lasserre, diplomatic journalist for Le Figaro.
The session was dedicated to examining the political and diplomatic consequences of recent actions by some Western governments in recognizing the State of Palestine.
Participants in this discussion each examined various aspects of these developments from their own perspectives, from Israeli security concerns to the structural inefficiency of the Palestinian Authority and the political motivations of European governments.
Tal Becker: Recognition of Palestine as a Symbolic and Ineffective Tool
From Tal Becker’s perspective, the recent decisions by some Western countries to recognize the State of Palestine are not based on realistic analysis or a measure for peace but are used as a tool to pressure Israel and respond to internal pressures.
He emphasizes that these decisions are mostly symbolic, aiming more to look good than to act effectively.
Becker points out that these actions lack any conditions such as the release of Israeli hostages, disarmament of Hamas, or the initiation of bilateral negotiations, describing this process as not only unconstructive but even dangerous.
He asserts that Israelis perceive these moves as a victory for Hamas, a group that, according to him, has welcomed these decisions and considers them a direct result of the October 7 attack.
Criticizing the UN General Assembly resolution known as the New York Declaration, Becker notes that recognition has been granted solely with promises from the Palestinian Authority for reforms, including holding elections—promises that have been made before and not fulfilled.
In his view, this reverse process, instead of encouraging reforms, strengthens extremist forces, ultimately benefiting only the supporters of West Bank annexation in Israel.
Samer Sinijlawi: Recognition Without Reforms Leads Nowhere
Samer Sinijlawi also critically views the approach of European countries, considering it more a result of public pressure and widespread protests in European cities than a genuine interest in supporting the peace process.
He emphasizes that recognizing Palestine will not have a real impact unless it is accompanied by structural reforms and leadership change.
Criticizing the performance of Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, he claims that the reforms promised by Abbas have not been implemented, and in practice, the Authority has turned into a quasi-police state that even suppresses peace activists.
Sinijlawi suggests that Palestinian elections should be held before the next Israeli elections so that the Israeli public can witness the emergence of a new, legitimate leadership committed to peace on the Palestinian side.
He believes such a development could lead Israeli public opinion to support genuine negotiations. He adds that the most important issue is addressing Israeli security concerns, not unilateral diplomatic pressure.
Isabelle Lasserre: France and the Policy of Balance in the Middle East Crisis
Isabelle Lasserre, focusing on France’s role in this process, highlights three key factors in Paris’s decision to advance the initiative to recognize the State of Palestine: President Emmanuel Macron’s disappointment with Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies, the response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the effort to reduce internal pressure from French leftists.
According to Lasserre, Macron is trying to strengthen his leadership role on the global stage by holding international conferences, as is customary in his foreign policy. She emphasizes that this strategy is more a response to internal challenges and Macron’s political legitimacy crisis following domestic protests like the Yellow Vests movement than based on regional analysis.
However, Lasserre warns that this so-called balanced policy might backfire in practice, as Israel perceives unilateral recognition of Palestine as endorsing Hamas’s violence and undermining its security.
Such perceptions might lead Israel to take reactive measures like annexing West Bank territories, a move that would seriously undermine the goal of establishing a Palestinian state.
Legitimacy Crisis and the Horizon of Peace
Looking beyond this panel, it is clear that the issue of recognizing the State of Palestine is no longer just a symbolic diplomatic action but has become a complex knot of domestic politics, security equations, and legitimacy crises for both parties.
The Palestinian Authority faces a serious legitimacy crisis due to corruption, suppression of dissent, and inefficiency in providing public services. On the other hand, Israeli public opinion has become more distrustful of the establishment of a Palestinian state after the October 7 attack.
In such circumstances, recognition without real reforms not only fails to aid peace but deepens the existing divide.
Diplomatic efforts must be accompanied by requirements such as guaranteeing free elections in Palestine, international oversight of governmental reforms, balanced pressure on both sides to respect their commitments, and most importantly, opening the door to bilateral dialogues.
A Future Dependent on Honesty and Political Courage
The discussion held by the Washington Institute depicted a realistic view of diplomatic confusion and conflicting interests on the path to recognizing Palestine.
Although the demand for establishing an independent Palestinian state has significant international support, the main challenge remains in the real change of power structures on both sides of the conflict and building trust.
The central question is whether recent diplomatic actions will open a path to peace or merely become another symbolic gesture that prepares the ground for extremists.
The future will tell, but what is certain is that the solution to this crisis lies not in diplomatic haste but in the depth of reforms and courage in genuine dialogue.
