The Shifting Landscape of Palestinian Statehood Recognition
The recent surge in discussions surrounding the recognition of a Palestinian state comes amidst escalating conflict and accusations of genocide, as highlighted by Israeli columnist Gideon Levy in Haaretz this August. Levy argued that acknowledging Palestinian statehood without “practical measures” from the international community would be insufficient to halt what he termed a ”genocide.” However, legal experts point out a crucial distinction: the question of statehood is separate from the obligation to prevent potential genocide, an obligation already incumbent upon nations under international law.
Instead, recognizing Palestine as a state coudl significantly bolster arguments for intervention within existing international legal and diplomatic frameworks. As Omar AUF, an Egyptian political analyst, detailed in the autumn 2025 edition of The Cairo Review of Global Affairs, previous Palestinian attempts to invoke the Geneva Conventions in 1989 were rebuffed by Switzerland due to “uncertainty” surrounding the existence of a Palestinian state.
Nomi Bar-Yaacov, a peace negotiator at the Geneva Security Policy Centre, explained to DW in August that recognition doesn’t trigger immediate change, but fundamentally alters the dynamics of negotiation.”Negotiating between one state and another state is not the same as negotiating between a state and an unrecognized state… a state that is simply an entity.” This shift represents a diplomatic enhancement, compelling recognizing nations – like France and Belgium – to reassess their relationships with Palestine and, potentially, their legal obligations concerning Israel.
Though, experts emphasize that recognition is merely a starting point. Anas IQTAIT, professor of Political Economy of the Middle East at the Australian National University, stated in Akfar, published by the Middle East Council for Global Affairs in Doha, “Recognition is not a policy, it is a beginning. The real work begins the next day.”
Hugh Lovatt, senior investigator at the european Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), acknowledges the symbolic weight of recognition. Speaking to DW, he stated, “But symbolism is not always bad.Given the countries that carry out recognition – France and the United Kingdom, in particular – it is an important reaffirmation of the rights and self-determination of the Palestinians, the right to live free of occupation, the right to statehood, etc.”
Crucially, Lovatt stresses that symbolic gestures must be paired with concrete action. This sentiment is gaining traction within the EU, as evidenced by a recent call from EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas for increased tariffs on Israeli products and sanctions against settlers and high-ranking Israeli officials – recommendations previously put forth by ECFR experts. Sources in Brussels indicate that Italy, previously resistant to sanctioning Israel, might potentially be reconsidering its position.
Lovatt suggests the context has dramatically shifted. “Even three years ago, recognition could have been the end of history,” he said. “But I think, since the situation has changed drastically in terms of public and political opinion, it is no longer a matter of recognizing [Palestine] or do something else.”
Instead,multiple measures are being pursued concurrently,reflecting a broader change in public and political sentiment since 2023. Ultimately, Lovatt concludes, recognition should be viewed as “the trajectory to follow… we may not achieve tomorrow, but the trajectory is clear.”
