The recognition of the so-called Palestinian state by Britain, Portugal, France, Canada, and Australia this week was nothing short of perverse.
It was practically absurd, morally reprehensible, and will only prolong the danger to Israel and the anguish of everyday Gazans. Perhaps worst of all, it distracts from the real problem preventing peace: the Iranian regime, which provides terror groups with the money and arms needed to carry out their most horrific attacks.
Far from advancing the cause of peace in the region, the move has thrown a lifeline to Hamas at a time when the civilized world should be uniting in support of Israel’s efforts to defeat the terror group once and for all. It likewise disincentivizes Gaza’s leaders to agree to a ceasefire, let alone release the remaining hostages, dozens of which remain in Hamas captivity.
Make no mistake: The decision by these countries to treat “Palestine” as an independent state ratifies the logic of the terrorists who, nearly two years ago to the day, perpetrated the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. The twisted logic that this move will somehow isolate Hamas by empowering the illegitimate, unpopular, terror-supporting Palestinian Authority is beyond fanciful. As the perpetrators of the October 7, 2023 attack, Hamas—which has already lauded the move as “a deserved outcome of our people’s struggle”—will continue to claim that achieving statehood was their doing. And they will be right. Far from damaging Hamas, it will empower them, while broadcasting to the Middle East and the world at large that terrorism gets results.
