Mathilda Heller
Jerusalem Post, Aug. 11, 2025
“As the Israel Democracy Institute recently explained, the traditional position in international law is that a state either exists, or it does not: “If it does not meet the factual conditions for statehood, recognition of it has no meaning.””
On Monday, Australia joined a growing number of countries planning to recognize a Palestinian state at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in September. New Zealand said it is exploring the possibility, but has not yet committed to such a move.
Although a Palestinian state is widely recognized in the UN already (by about 75% of member states), significant media attention has been focused on the new announcements from Canada, the UK, France, and now Australia.
One reason for the furor is that the war between Israel and Hamas is ongoing, 20 living hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza – alongside 30 bodies – and Hamas still has control over the Gaza Strip.
Israel, as a result, has argued that recognizing a Palestinian state is both premature (as the hostages have not been returned, and Hamas has yet to be thwarted) and a reward for terrorism, given that none of the recent countries have set conditions on the recognition.
“This is effectively unconditional recognition, which is astounding,” Senator for Western Australia Michaelia Cash commented on Monday.
That being said, even if Canada, the UK, France, Australia, and potentially others choose to go ahead and recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly next month, what, if anything, will change on the ground?
International recognition of a Palestinian state does not automatically lead to the state’s creation. ...SOURCE