On the day the world recognized a Palestinian state, I traveled with Alex Libeck to a remote Palestinian village in the eastern West Bank. The previous day, the village had witnessed the armed robbery of dozens of sheep by settlers from a new maahaza nearby.
On the opening day of the United Nations General Assembly and the “Two-State Conference,” ten Western countries joined the long list of states that had already recognized the imaginary state, and the Alon Road was almost empty of Palestinian cars. Most roads in the West Bank are blocked by iron gates that open and close at the whim of military commanders.
On the day 159 countries had already recognized the imagined state, Sadek Frahana, an 81-year-old cattle herder, lay at home, groaning in pain. His arms had been broken with clubs the day before by settlers who had mercilessly beaten him for no reason, despite his age. His grandson sat next to him, his head bandaged. He too had been injured in the settlers' looting spree. The Israeli police rushed to accuse the Palestinian cattle herders of looting the settlers without an investigation. The state that was recognized at that moment has no police to protect its citizens.
On a day when the French president celebrated his diplomatic success, a Palestinian state is further away than ever. Never has an imagined state been so dependent on the reality on the ground. The president of the future state, Mahmoud Abbas, was not even allowed to attend the assembly where his state was being discussed. The Americans have grossly violated the agreement with the United Nations.
At the same time, the International Criminal Court's most wanted person, Benjamin Netanyahu, suspected of crimes against humanity, was preparing to travel to the meeting. The president of a country that is "recognized" by almost the entire world is watching the plenary hall from a remote screen, while the most wanted person will take the podium.
On the day the world recognized the Palestinian state, 61 people were killed in Gaza, almost as many as the day after the recognition, and as many as every day in recent months. Recognition has not and will not save a single child in Gaza from the bombing. Gaza is no longer fit for human life. For them, the West Bank is slowly turning into such a space. I doubt that the beaten old man has even heard anything about recognition. The fact that Britain and France have joined the countries that have already recognized Palestine changes nothing for the old shepherd, nor will the recognition of Andorra and Monaco affect his fate. The plundered flock of sheep will not be returned to him, although Luxembourg is on his side.
The world, especially righteous Europe, once again made an empty gesture this week in honor of the victims of Gaza and the West Bank. While the genocide in Gaza continues unabated and settlers and their armies rampage in the West Bank, the world has done its duty by recognizing a country that will probably never be founded. How easy it is to recognize a state, but how difficult it is to stop genocide. As usual, Israel lamented anti-Semitism. The opposition, with all Jewish factions, united with the government in condemning the recognition, including the hope of the Israeli left, Yair Golan.
Those who, like me, are desperately waiting for a dramatic and urgent move by the world to immediately stop the systematic killing and destruction have received a move that will only make things worse. Most countries can now soothe the consciences of their troubled domestic publics: we have punished the criminal and compensated the victim. There is no longer any need to point a finger at Gaza, we have done our part. We have made our administrative contribution.
Tragically, recognizing a Palestinian state is now a far-fetched, almost insane step. At this point, there are no partners for a two-state solution, either in Israel or in Palestine. Gaza has been destroyed, and there is no room left in the West Bank for a state that is not a collection of bantustans. You want to save what is left of the refugees from Gaza? Enact immediate and severe sanctions on Israel. You want a long-term vision? Enable democracy for all people between the Jordan River and the sea.
(Translated from Hebrew by Alma Ferhat)
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* It could be a simple container on Palestinian land, guarded by a small group of Jewish settlers, where an illegal settlement could then be built. If they get electricity, it is a sign that the state will allow the settlement to expand, and then entire families will arrive. Then it is very likely that the state will recognize such a settlement as legal and that it is not threatened with demolition, which almost never happens; prim.trans.
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