Israeli FM brands recent push to recognise Palestinian statehood ‘tremendous mistake’, says could trigger unilateral response

TEL AVIV: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has strongly condemned the recent international push to recognise Palestinian statehood, labelling it a “tremendous mistake” that could destabilise the region and prompt Israel to take unilateral actions.

Speaking during a joint press conference alongside Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen on Sunday (local time), Saar warned that such moves risk undermining peace efforts and emboldening groups like Hamas.

“Those states like France and the UK that pushed the so-called recognition in the so-called Palestinian state had made a tremendous mistake because you cannot disconnect the issue of statehood, which is one of the final status agreement issues. You cannot disconnect statehood from peace because if you do that, you will make it even harder to achieve peace,” Saar asserted.

His remark comes after major European nations, along with other countries around the world, called for the recognition of Palestinian statehood during the United Nations General Assembly this month, amid Israel’s military expansion in Gaza.

Saar emphasised that any future peace agreement must occur within a bilateral framework, noting that all prior Palestinian achievements have been realised through such negotiations.

He cautioned that unilateral recognition would serve as a “present for Hamas”, linking it to the group’s actions on October 7, 2023, where at least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage, triggering the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

“A peace agreement in the future can happen only in a bilateral context, as much as everything that the Palestinians achieved until today was only in a bilateral context. Another approach will be a present for Hamas, which is already connecting that to October 7. And this is how Palestinians looked at it. It will not bring us closer to peace or security. It will destabilise the region. It will push Israel also to have unilateral decisions, and that will be a grave mistake,” the Israeli Foreign Minister added.

He also urged these European nations, particularly those advocating for recognition, to reconsider their stance.

“I urge those responsible states in Europe to speak with their European friends and with their other friends not to do this mistake and we still have time to prevent that,” Saar pleaded.

Earlier in July, the French President Emmanuel Macron declared that France would officially recognise Palestinian statehood during the UNGA.

Following in his footsteps, leaders from Australia, Canada, Portugal, and the United Kingdom are also set to recognise the State of Palestine during the Assembly.

Belgium is the latest name in the list that called for recognition of the State of Palestine and further called for “firm sanctions” against the Israeli government.

On Tuesday, Macron stated that France and Saudi Arabia will co-chair a high-profile conference on the Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in New York on September 22, aimed at garnering broad international support for peace and security in the region. (ANI)