With the global press abuzz about an emergent famine in the Gaza Strip, leaders from France, Britain, and Canada, along with other nations, have announced their plans to officially acknowledge a Palestinian state, viewing it as a potential resolution to the ongoing conflict that has persisted nearly two years.
However, these proclamations—spurred by striking global headlines and distressing images of reportedly starving children—risk becoming empty pledges as the Israeli government declared on Friday its intentions to intensify its military operations in Gaza. This, they argue, is the sole path to defeat Hamas, the designated Palestinian terror organization responsible for the pivotal October 7, 2023, assault on Israel, and to restore tranquility.
The recognition of a Palestinian state by an increasing number of nations might be realized during next month’s United Nations General Assembly. Nonetheless, with Hamas still entrenched in Gaza and retaining over 50 hostages, and the rival leadership in the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority, seen as ineffective and corrupt, could such recognition detract from ongoing efforts to find both immediate and longstanding solutions to this deeply rooted conflict?
Among some Palestinians, too, the idea of statehood, while welcomed, feels far out of reach.
“In practical terms, I can’t envision this happening imminently. It requires extensive negotiations,” expressed Huda Abu Arqoub, a Palestinian proponent of peace-building, regarding the emergence of a Palestinian state.
“For Palestinians witnessing the situation in Gaza, something within us feels lost. In such despair, we lack the luxury to contemplate what comes next or the viability of a two-state solution.”
“After this war is resolved, perhaps we can find respite, possibly regroup, and may become receptive to alternative solutions beyond the Oslo-based framework,” noted Abu Arqoub, whose counsel on peace is sought by the European Union and several Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia.
Instead of an international community “just taking sides,” she added, “there must be a transitional period for Palestinians to regain some sort of trust in the system, in the two-state solution, and to give us a choice whether we want to be part of a political entity that runs for elections or not.”
