Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognize a Palestinian state—a symbolic move that will have zero effect on the Palestinian people, but may shore up Macron’s standing with his Muslim constituency and France’s left wing. His statement was echoed by similar symbolic announcements from Canada and the UK.

While none of these three countries explained how recognition would increase the wildly remote chances for a Palestinian state, their statements all contained threats against Israel, attempting to pressure the Jewish state into suicidal steps that would prematurely end its war against Hamas.

In truth, the failure of the Palestinians to form a state was never dependent on actions by Israel or on empty “recognition” by other countries. Indeed, 147 countries have already recognized the “state of Palestine,” yet no actual state has materialized.

Rather, France, the UK and Canada all have substantial Muslim constituencies to satisfy, as well as domestic leftist forces—both of which tend to oppose Israel generally and thus favor any effort to prevent Hamas from losing control of Gaza.

Most importantly, the declarations recognizing “Palestine” completely ignore—or reject—objective conditions that have prevented a Palestinian state for 77 years, ever since Israel’s founding. The Arab Palestinians rejected the new Jewish state in 1948 and reject it without exception today. In fact, their obsession with destroying Israel has distracted Palestinians and diverted their resources from creating the political and economic foundation needed to implement, let alone sustain a state.

Rather, Hamas’s latest failed attempt on October 7, 2023 to invade and defeat Israel was simply the Palestinians’ latest strategic blunder—one that has provoked Israel once and for all to eliminate the terrorist group from all levers of Palestinian power. Indeed, Hamas’s demise leaves the Palestinians bereft: Gaza is leaderless and devastated, and the hapless Palestinian Authority (PA) holds only the flimsiest grip on power over its people in the remaining territories.

If Western powers, such as France, the UK and Canada, truly wish to help the Palestinians achieve statehood, they would better focus on enlightening its leaders on the fundamentals of nation-building—starting with rejection of the Arab-Palestinians’ eight-decade effort to destroy the Jewish state.

As for threatening Israel with recognition of “Palestine” in order to achieve a ceasefire and increase humanitarian aid above substantial current levels, the three well-meaning Western nations would achieve their goal sooner by pressuring Hamas to release all remaining hostages and surrender: War over. Any serious expectation that Israel would give up its long-term security in response to Western extortion attempts is just one more example of tragically misreading the regional reality.

Governments of France, the UK and Canada bow to Muslim and leftist pressure to recognize “Palestine.” All three countries have large Muslim communities—4.9% of Canadians, 10% of French, and 6% of Britons are Muslim. These populations dwarf each country’s Jewish population, and therefore form much larger voting blocs. Furthermore, Canada and the UK currently have left-leaning governments, and according to polls, recognizing “Palestine” is very popular among these governments’ supporters.

In the UK, many politicians are pressuring Prime Minister Keir Starmer to recognize a Palestinian state, including multiple cabinet members and 221 Members of Parliament from several parties, who publicly called on Starmer to recognize “Palestine.”

France’s government and president are more centrist, but the country boasts the largest Muslim community in Europe and strong leftist forces. In fact, the main leftist faction in the French parliament made recognizing “Palestine” part of its electoral platform. Also, French media report that advisers within Macron’s inner circle are urging him to recognize “Palestine” due to the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Threats to recognize “Palestine” are illogical for three reasons: First, Israel has agreed many times to an Arab-Palestinian state—in 1947, 1967, 2000, 2001 and 2008—but the Palestinians have always said no, in favor of their commitment to Israel’s destruction.

Secondly, Israel has suffered relentless attacks through five major wars started by Hamas in Gaza, culminating in the most savage genocidal attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Israel has decided, as other nations have, that such an enemy—think Nazis and Imperial Japan—cannot be allowed to survive.

Third, the very notion of promoting a Palestinian state in the wake of October 7 sends a perverse message—that Palestinian terrorism works.

The Palestinians fail to meet every fundamental criterion for statehood. Palestinian political institutions are dysfunctional, unstable, corrupt and dictatorial. The Palestinian parliament, for example, last elected in 2006, hasn’t functioned since 2007. Eighty-nine-year-old Palestinian dictator-President Mahmoud Abbas now reigns in the 19^th year of his four-year term—with no successor named. Polls show Palestinians consider his government irredeemably corrupt. In Gaza, Hamas has maintained an authoritarian Islamist regime since 2007, when it overthrew the Palestinian Authority. Neither democracy nor rule of law exists in either Palestinian-controlled territory.

Moreover, the Palestinians are literally bankrupt. They lack any self-sufficient economy and are entirely dependent on foreign aid for survival. Even before the current war, about one-in-four Palestinians was unemployed, according to the International Labor Organization. After a year of war, this number has surged to 51%.

Finally, the Palestinians lack all basic foundations for statehood under international law. According to the internationally accepted Montevideo Convention (1933), four key elements are required for recognition of a state: A permanent population, defined borders, a functioning government and the capacity to engage in foreign relations. The Palestinians meet none of these requirements.

Bogus “recognition” proposes to give Palestinians something they don’t want and for which they are not qualified. France, Canada and the UK propose to proclaim Palestinian statehood, though no Palestinian government has ever abandoned its primary goal of conquering the Jewish state. Moreover, there exists no functional Palestinian government nor stable leadership. There are no borders and no working economy. In fact, any “recognition” of a Palestinian state is a sham—not meant to aid Palestinians, but rather only to keep the governments of three Western nations in power.

Please make the point when speaking with family, friends, colleagues—or in letters to the editor—that trying to extort Israel into a ceasefire and increase its already Herculean aid efforts simply misreads the regional reality. The only realistic solution to the Gaza war—and to fulfilling any hope of a Palestinian state—is Hamas’s defeat.

If you agree we need to spread this truth, please use your email browser to forward this Hotline issue to fellow lovers of Israel—and encourage them to join us by subscribing to the Hotline at no charge.

Best regards,
James Sinkinson, President
Facts and Logic About the Middle East (FLAME)

P.S.      I’m sure you’d agree: If your enemy says they want to kill you and take your land, you’d be smart to believe them. If you try to make peace, but they refuse all your offers and continue to make murderous threats, it’s time to eliminate this enemy. Israel has faced exactly this danger with the Palestinians—yet continued to hope for peace . . . until Hamas’s October 7 massacre and kidnappings. Finally, Israel and many lovers of Israel are facing reality. They’ve concluded their futile dreams of peace must end. They must finally defeat their Palestinian enemies—starting with Hamas and other jihadi terrorists. I hope you’ll agree that we supporters of the Israel-U.S. relationship need to speak out. FLAME’s new hasbarah—explanatory message—“End of the Palestinian Lie”—describes how Israel and the West have for 77 years bought the myth that the Palestinians want peace. It details the many offers of land for peace Israel, the U.N. and the U.S. have made to give Palestinians their own state—all refused. Finally, it explains why Israel must adopt a bold new strategy—disarming, disabling and defeating Hamas and all other terror groups that attack Israeli civilians. Please review this convincing, fact-based editorial, which FLAME intends to publish to millions—in leading social media, as well as in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Tampa Bay Times, Denver Post and Los Angeles Times. This piece will also be sent to all members of Congress, the President and Vice President. If you agree that this kind of public relations effort on Israel’s behalf is critical, I urge you to support us with a donation.

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