France, UK, Canada push for Palestinian statehood

Post by : Jyoti Singh

Photo: Reuters

OTTAWA, August 2 — France, the United Kingdom, and Canada have announced they plan to recognise Palestine as a country. This move has been welcomed by Palestinians, but many experts believe it will not lead to the creation of a real Palestinian state anytime soon. While this support might help the Palestinian cause in the long term, right now, the situation on the ground in Gaza and the West Bank is getting worse by the day. Thousands of Palestinians are suffering, and critics say these governments could be doing much more to help.

Why These Recognitions Matter

France, the UK, and Canada are among the most powerful countries in the world and long-time friends of Israel. If they officially recognise Palestine as a state, it sends a strong political message. It shows that even Israel’s close allies are not happy with how things are going in Gaza and the West Bank.

Britain and France are also permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. If they go through with their recognition, the only powerful Western country left refusing to do so will be the United States. Still, the recognition does not come with real actions like putting pressure on Israel through trade bans, stopping weapon sales, or other sanctions. For that reason, some people believe these recognitions are more about appearances than real change.

What Palestinians Are Saying

Palestinian leaders and people have long asked for international recognition of their state. They want an independent country in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem—lands that Israel took control of in the 1967 war. While Palestinians are thankful for the recognition, they say more urgent actions are needed now. Gaza is being bombed heavily, thousands have died, and many are starving. Recognising a state is a symbolic move, but it doesn’t stop the violence or bring food and medicine.

Khaled Elgindy, a scholar from Georgetown University, said, It’s strange to respond to daily killings and starvation by just recognising a future state that may never exist. It feels like these countries just want to look like they are helping without doing anything real. Fathi Nimer, a researcher at a Palestinian think tank, added, These governments could stop selling weapons to Israel. They could stop trade. They have tools to pressure Israel, but they choose not to use them.

What Israel Says

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has always opposed the idea of a Palestinian state. He believes it would lead to more attacks from groups like Hamas and threaten Israel’s safety. Israel’s government wants to keep control of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and even the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu argues that recognising a Palestinian state now would reward Hamas, the group that carried out the October 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel. Those attacks killed over 1,200 people and led to the current war in Gaza. While Hamas has sometimes said it could accept a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, its official goal remains the destruction of Israel. That’s why Western countries say any future Palestinian state should be led by groups that accept peace and recognise Israel’s right to exist.

The Role of the Palestinian Authority

The Palestinian Authority (PA), led by President Mahmoud Abbas, supports a two-state solution and works with Israel on some security matters. Recently, Abbas has made several moves to try to win favour with Western countries. One example is ending the PA’s policy of giving money to families of people jailed or killed by Israel—a practice Israel strongly opposed.

However, these steps have not changed much. Israel still doesn’t trust Abbas or believe he truly wants peace. Many Palestinians are also unhappy with the PA, seeing it as weak and too willing to cooperate with Israel. Hugh Lovatt, an expert on the region, said that while the PA has its problems, people often blame it too much. “The mistakes of Palestinian leaders are used as an excuse to ignore Israel’s actions, he said.

Could This Change Future Peace Talks?

Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been stalled for years. Most serious efforts ended after Netanyahu returned to power in 2009. Since then, violence has continued, and hope for a peaceful solution has faded.

Still, some experts believe that the recent recognitions could help if talks ever restart. Julie Norman, a professor of Middle East politics in London, said, If and when talks happen again, starting with Palestine already being recognised as a state gives it a stronger position. It doesn’t have to fight for recognition—it starts from there.

Israel’s Military Power and Global Support

Even though some countries are recognising Palestine, Israel remains in a strong position. Its military is one of the most powerful in the region. It has beaten back threats from Iran and other enemies. And most importantly, it still has the full support of the United States.

Trump, who is running for re-election and could return to the White House, is one of Israel’s strongest backers. His administration supported Israel in many ways and cut off funding to Palestinian aid organisations. This strong backing means Israel feels little pressure to change its actions, especially with a war still going on.

What Could Happen Next?

Many Palestinians feel frustrated. They see symbolic moves, like state recognition or court rulings, while their homes are destroyed and their people are dying. They remember that in recent months, the world’s top court asked Israel to end its occupation. The international court also ordered the arrest of Prime Minister Netanyahu for alleged war crimes. These events gave Palestinians hope, but the war continued.

Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli diplomat, said, This Israeli government won’t change its plans. Real change—ending the war, letting aid in, creating peace—won’t happen until a different government takes over. The recent recognition of Palestine by France, the UK, and Canada is a step toward justice for many. But for the people of Gaza and the West Bank, it’s not enough. They want safety, food, homes, and peace—not just promises. As the fighting goes on, and as more people suffer and die, the world must decide: is it willing to act, or will it continue to just speak?