Several more countries have formally recognized the Palestinian status at a world summit in France and Saudi Arabia, a day after Australia, Great Britain, Canada and Portugal took the step, angry Israel.
Palestinian status status
The Palestine Liberation Organization declared an independent Palestinian State in 1988, and the majority of the South Global quickly recognized it. Today, about 150 of the 193 UN Member States have done so.
The main ally of Israel, United States, has long said that it supports the objective of a Palestinian State, but only after the Palestinians and Israel agree on the terms of a solution of two states in the negotiations. Until the last weeks, the main European powers shared this position.
However, no Israeli-Palestinian negotiations have been carried out since 2014, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that there will never be a Palestinian state.
A delegation that represents the state of Palestine has the status of observer at the UN, but there are no voting rights. No matter how many countries recognize Palestinian independence, the UN complete membership would require the approval of the Security Council, where Washington has a veto.
Palestinian diplomatic missions worldwide are controlled by the Palestinian authority, which is recognized internationally as it represents the Palestinian people.
The AP, directed by President Mahmoud Abbas, exercises limited self -gobbossus in parts of the West Bank occupied by Israel in agreements with Israel. It issues Palestinian passports and directs the Palestinian health and education systems.
The Gaza Strip has been administered by the Hamas since 2007, when it expelled the Fatah Movement of Abbas after a brief civil war.
Embassies?
Palestinian diplomatic missions in countries that recognize a Palestinian State are updated to embassy status are expected. But countries are not expected to open new and totally full embassies in the Palestinian territories, where Israel controls access.
Around 40 countries have consulates or representative offices, either at the Bank Bank of the Authority, Ramallah or in parts of Jerusalem captured by Israel in 1967, where the Palestinians hope to have their capital.
Israel considers all Jerusalem its own undivided capital. The embassies totally in Israel are mainly found in Tel Aviv, although the United States moved its embassy to Jerusalem during the first mandate of President Donald Trump.
Recognition objective
The countries that move to recognize a Palestinian state say that the measure is destined to press Israel to put an end to its devastating assault on Gaza, reduce the construction of new Jewish settlements in western West Bank occupied and compromise a peace process with the Palestinians.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, the first leader of an important Western power to support recognition, said the measure would be accompanied by an AP commitment to promulgate reforms, which would improve Palestinian governance and make it a more credible partner for the administration of post -war gaza.
What does recognition mean in practice?
Those who see recognition as a mere gesture point to limited influence in the conflict of countries such as China, India, Russia and many Arab states that recognized Palestinian independence decades ago.
Without a complete seat in the UN or the control of its own borders, the PA only has a limited capacity to carry out bilateral relations.
Israel restricts the access of educational or cultural assets, investments and exchanges. There are no Palestinian airports. The West Bank can only arrive through Israel or through the border with Jordan with Israeli control with Jordan, and Israel now controls all access to the Gaza Strip since captured the border of Gaza with Egypt during the ongoing war.
Even so, countries that plan recognition and PA themselves say it would be more than an empty gesture.
Husam Zomlot, head of the Palestinian mission to the United Kingdom, said it could lead to associations between entities in the same foot.
He could also force countries to review aspects of their relations with Israel, said Vincent Fean, a former British diplomat in Jerusalem.
In the case of Great Britain, this could cause prohibition products that come from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, he said, despite the fact that the practical impact on the Israeli economy would be minimal.
We, Israel’s reaction
Israel, who faces a global protest for his behavior in the Gaza War, says that the recognition rewards Hamas for attacks against Israel that precipitated the war in October 2023.
“A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River,” said Netyahu Prime Minister.
The United States opposes recognition movements for its European allies. He has imposed sanctions on Palestinian officials, including the blockade of Abbas and other Pensylvania figures to attend the UN General Assembly by denying and revoking visas.
