On September 21st, Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal announced that they officially recognized the Palestinian state. Palestine expressed its appreciation for this move by the four countries; Israel threatened.

Why do countries recognize the Palestinian state one after another at this time? Why so late to admit it?

U.S. triggers international "wave of recognition" with radical military-political action

Gaza people struggle to survive in temporary tents

Assistant researcher of China Institute for International Affairs: The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Portugal have successively recognized the Palestinian state, mainly due to strong dissatisfaction with the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and concerns that the radical actions of the United States and Israel have led to the continuous hollowing out of the basis for the realization of the "two-state solution". At present, the governments of four western countries are also facing tremendous pressure from their respective countries, demanding to change their blind compliance with past political correctness and shift from passively following the United States to independent diplomacy. Then this United Nations General Assembly is a landmark turning point, which also reflects that the consensus rift on Israel's policy within the Western world is gradually increasing.

Internet users accuse: too late to admit hypocrisy

However, some netizens believe that it is hypocritical and too late for these countries to recognize the Palestinian state.

"Recognizing the Palestinian state while continuing to fund the entity that insists on completely wiping Palestine off the map is not just the most egregious act of hypocrisy, it shows how easy it is to support what you are actively destroying."

Many Western countries recognize the Palestinian state as hypocritical

¡°After two years of genocide, Palestinians were massacred, hospitals, houses and schools were destroyed, and famine was used as a weapon.

What does the Israeli Prime Minister's statement mean? Who's behind it?

The United States is increasingly diverging from the "two-country" program.

Assistant researcher of China Institute for International Affairs: Netanyahu declared that a Palestinian state will not be established. The essence of such a statement is a stubborn response to the consensus within Israel's far-right ruling coalition. The core meaning is to promote the expansion of the West Bank through the expansion of settlements. troops, thereby permanently stifling the "two-state solution". The first thing behind Israel is that the current U.S. government continues to provide military assistance to Israel, acquiescing and even encouraging Israel's annexation actions.

Arian, Associate Professor of History, Georgetown University Qatar, USA: What we have seen so far is the fact that the United States seems to be increasingly uninterested in reaching any kind of solution in a short period of time. As the so-called mediator, the United States itself is an active complicit in genocide. It has been endlessly arming the Israeli army and protecting Israel from any international condemnation.

During a visit to Israel last week, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio also said he had talked to countries that are about to recognize the Palestinian State in an attempt to persuade them that the Palestinian state¡¯s move would be reversible.In addition, the United States has repeatedly vetoed a resolution in the UN Security Council to push for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Israeli military operations in Gaza

Assistant researcher of China Institute for International AffairsThe United States has taken this step in order to build Israel as its own deterrent extension in the Middle East in the context of its own strategic contraction, to maintain its influence in the Middle East, but the U.S.¡¯ extreme utilitarian policy has exacerbated the cracks of other allies in the rest of the region, and also made the United States itself face more serious connected moral responsibilities.

Are more and more countries acknowledging that the State of Palestine is only symbolic?

¡°Recognition Tide¡± Strengthens Palestinian Legal Status and the ¡°Two-State Plan¡±

Assistant researcher of China Institute for International Affairs: These diplomatic actions have further isolated Israel and enhanced Palestine's legitimacy on the global stage. They have helped to enhance Palestine's status in the United Nations. They are also necessary steps to promote Palestine's transition from an observer to a full member and help Palestine gain more voice and proposal rights.

How will the current situation develop in the future?

The Israeli issue must return to the path of multilateral political settlement

Children in Gaza carry bottles of water

Assistant researcher of China Institute for International AffairsIn the context that many countries have now officially recognized the State of Palestine, although the impact on easing the conflict in Gaza and the West Bank may be limited in the short term, it is likely that in the medium and long term the Palestinian issue will still be pushed towards a multilateral mediation framework and the "two-country plan" will be re-launched. Of course, such a process will not be easy and will inevitably face many obstacles.

Extended reading

Netanyahu: There Will Never Be a Palestinian State

According to CNN, on September 21, local time, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia announced their official recognition of the Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded on the same day that it is "absolutely impossible" that there will be a Palestinian state, and threatened countries that recognized the Palestinian state to "wait and see".

Speaking about the recent multi-state recognition of the Palestinian State, Netanyahu posted a video on 21 January saying: ¡°I want to tell you that this will never succeed, that a Palestinian state will never be established west of the Jordan River. Over the years, I have always prevented the establishment of this ¡®terrorist state¡¯.

"I will respond to the latest attempt to create a 'terrorist state' in the heart of our land when I return from the United States. Wait and see," Netanyahu threatened.

In response to the recent multi-nation recognition of the Palestinian state, Netanyahu released a video response, saying "wait" (video capture)

France, Belgium and other countries are expected to recognize the State of Palestine this week during the 80th United Nations High-Level Session. Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to New York this week to attend events such as the General Assembly debate and he is also expected to go to the White House to meet U.S. President Trump.

Netanyahu¡¯s statement clearly suggests that he has gained support from the Trump administration, and that without Trump¡¯s support, Netanyahu has little to do with options.But with this support, Netanyahu would think that under the U.S. ¡°paraply¡± he could almost ¡°do what he wanted.¡±

In addition, Netanyahu's statement may imply that the annexation of the occupied West Bank is being discussed within Israel. Netanyahu's far-right allies are pressing him for more aggressive action, calling on Israel to annex the entire West Bank or much of it.

Earlier, Treasury Minister Smootrich said the ¡°only response¡± would be to annex the entire West Bank and ¡°completely remove the stupid idea of establishing a Palestinian state from the agenda.¡±

Former Israeli Consul General Pincus predicted that if Israel is about to annex the West Bank, it is unlikely to annex a large area, but symbolically annex "a piece of land in Area C that no one pays attention to." The "Area C" he mentioned refers to the area in the West Bank where Israel is responsible for security and civil control.

Pincus said Israel had "sufficient early warning time" for countries to acknowledge that the Palestinian state was prepared and that they had enough time to conduct diplomatic operations while showing goodwill and goodwill by mitigating the humanitarian situation in Gaza, but did not."

According to CNN, these countries recognize the Palestinian state and instead make the Israeli government more disrespectful in its diplomatic conflict with more and more Western countries. In Netanyahu¡¯s worldview, the only country Israel needs is the United States, and he does have the public support of the Trump administration.

When U.S. Secretary of State Rubio visited Israel last week, he said that he had repeatedly communicated with countries planning to recognize the Palestinian state, trying to convince them that the move would be "counterproductive." However, all the countries that have stated that they will recognize the Palestinian state have not changed their policies.