MEDIA RELEASES
AIJAC deeply disappointed at Government’s counter-productive recognition of a Palestinian state
September 22, 2025 | AIJAC
AIJAC is deeply disappointed at the Government’s misguided and counter-productive decision, because it sets back the positive possibility of a peaceful, viable, negotiated Palestinian state being established alongside Israel.
Regardless of the Government’s intentions, recognition will be seen by both Israelis and Palestinians as a reward for Palestinian terrorism and as punishment for Israel, despite the fact that Israel has always been much more forward-leaning on peace than the Palestinians.
The Government has predicated its recognition on verbal undertaking given by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, but Abbas has made similar promises many times before, and has never shown any sign of implementing them. There is no reason to expect this time will be any different, especially given, as proven by AIJAC’s detailed study of 11 years of Palestinian opinion polls, each of these promises are very unpopular among the Palestinian population, and the Palestinian Authority lacks the support to implement unpopular initiatives.
Recognition by Western countries telegraphs to Hamas that its rejection of multiple ceasefire proposals over the past 12 months were the correct decision, thereby ensuring it will continue rejecting them. This further endangers the lives of the Israeli hostages still held in Hamas’s tunnels.
It is all very well for the Government to demand Hamas release the hostages and state that the terror group can have no future role in Palestine, but up to now, it has not even made any suggestions as to how this is to be achieved. All it has done is demand a ceasefire which actually leaves Hamas in power.
The Palestinians’ chosen path since 2014 – a stubborn refusal to even negotiate, encouraging, rewarding, and celebrating violence, and indoctrinating its children to hate Israel – will be strengthened by the Government’s morally compromised decision. What is certain is that this decision will not help Israelis and Palestinians achieve peace, and neither will it accelerate the creation of a Palestinian state.
