Netanyahu Says Recognition of Palestinian State Doesn’t Bind Israel
Jerusalem – Israeli prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that recent decisions by several nations to recognize a Palestinian state do not compel Israel to make concessions, according to statements released Sunday. the declarations, arriving amid Israel’s ongoing military campaign in gaza, have been met with defiance from the Israeli leader.
The wave of recognition – already totaling 19 countries following the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza - reflects a shifting international stance. Algeria was the first nation to recognize Palestine,doing so on November 15,1988,shortly after the state’s proclamation in Algiers by Yasser Arafat,then leader of the Palestine Liberation association. This latest surge in recognition joins a prior wave of endorsements from Russia, numerous Arab nations, moast African and Latin American countries, and a majority of Asian nations, including India and China.
Netanyahu’s comments signal Israel’s firm opposition to unilateral recognition, maintaining that statehood should only be achieved through direct negotiations. The prime minister has consistently argued that recognizing a Palestinian state at this juncture would reward Hamas and undermine efforts to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza.
