Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin stated that countries recognising a Palestinian state this week were taking an irreversible step that safeguarded the two-state solution and brought Palestinian independence and sovereignty closer.
The UK, Canada, and Australia formally recognised a Palestinian state on Sunday, joining other nations in an effort to revive momentum for a two-state solution—a move that has drawn criticism from Israel and the United States.
"Now is the time. Tomorrow marks a historic moment that we need to build upon. This is not the end," Shahin told reporters in Ramallah. "It is a step bringing us closer to sovereignty and independence. It may not end the conflict immediately, but it is progress, which must be reinforced and amplified," she added, referring to Israel’s nearly two-year military campaign in Gaza.
Netanyahu: "There Will Never Be a Palestinian State"
Israel has sharply condemned the decision, with some ministers dismissing it as inconsequential, arguing it does not alter the realities on the ground. Others insist that Palestinian statehood can only be achieved through direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed this month that a Palestinian state will never come into existence.
Shahin highlighted Israel’s unwillingness to negotiate, citing Netanyahu’s recent remarks at a ceremony for a new settlement in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which would sever northern Palestinian communities from those in the south.
"This recognition is far from symbolic. It is a practical, tangible, and irreversible step that countries committed to preserving the two-state solution must take," she said.
France and Saudi Arabia have spearheaded efforts to revive momentum for the two-state solution, with several countries expected to recognise a Palestinian state at this week’s United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, dismissed these efforts as a stunt and counterproductive.
Meanwhile, Israeli officials have hardened their positions on settlement expansion and West Bank annexation as international support for Palestinian statehood grows.
Israel faces increasing diplomatic isolation this year, with most of its closest allies—apart from the United States—condemning its assaults on Gaza. Some have even sanctioned Israeli ministers for inciting violence against Palestinians.
Shahin stressed that political pressure on Israel should be supplemented with economic measures to "hold Israel accountable and protect the Palestinian people."
"Today, Gaza burns. Today, Gaza is destroyed. Today, people in Gaza are being systematically murdered," she said, accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, an allegation that Israel denies.
A United Nations Commission of Inquiry last week concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, a finding echoed by a scholars’ association, Amnesty International, and two leading human rights organisations in Israel.
A Russian court on Thursday imposed restrictions on Lida Moniava, the founder of a children’s hospice, who is accused of spreading false info...
China’s state-owned shipping giant COSCO has used concealed equipment aboard some of its vessels to colle...
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation that would block federal funding for universities that...
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he thinks there is a chance of a peace being reached with Ukraine. He told the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia that he believed there was "a chance of finding a solution," to the conflict.
The U.S. has launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) sites as Tehran retaliated against U.S. positions across the region, while Iranian officials said at least five people were killed and dozens wounded at a wedding near Sirik.
The Iranian Health Ministry said at least 18 people were killed and 142 others injured in U.S. airstrikes carried out between 30 August and 2 September.
The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaia Kallas says the bloc will tighten enforcement of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine. EU foreign ministers were meeting in Ireland following renewed Russian strikes on cities across Ukraine.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 3rd of September, covering the latest developments.
A Russian court on Thursday imposed restrictions on Lida Moniava, the founder of a children’s hospice, who is accused of spreading false information about the Russian military’s actions in Ukraine.
China’s state-owned shipping giant COSCO has used concealed equipment aboard some of its vessels to collect intelligence on military communications near the coastlines of countries including the U.S., according to two senior Trump administration officials.
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation that would block federal funding for universities that boycott Israel, as Republicans push ahead with pro-Israel measures despite growing criticism of the Israeli government over the war in Gaza.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he thinks there is a chance of a peace being reached with Ukraine. He told the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia that he believed there was "a chance of finding a solution," to the conflict.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has rejected claims that Moroccan authorities orchestrated July’s deadly mass border crossing into Ceuta, saying Spain has found no evidence that Rabat planned or carried out the incident.
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