Recognition of Palestine is a reward for terrorism

Decades from now, historians will write something like: "The Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, were the beginning of a political and diplomatic process that led European countries to recognize the State of Palestine." It's a way to get into the history books for a bad reason.

To reiterate the obvious: recognizing the "State" of Palestine will change nothing about what's happening in Gaza. Nor will it create a "State" of Palestine that doesn't exist. There are objective criteria, enshrined in international law, for establishing a state; these criteria don't exist in Palestine. The European countries that recognize the "State" of Palestine aren't engaging in diplomacy—they're behaving like NGOs and demonstrating political impotence. If things stopped there, it would be pathetic, but not very serious.

What's truly serious is the victory that European countries will grant Hamas. From the outset, they are elevating Hamas, a terrorist group, above the Palestinian Authority. European countries didn't recognize the "State" of Palestine because of the PA. They will recognize it because of Hamas. European countries that recognize the "State" of Palestine are transforming Hamas into the main Palestinian political actor. The same countries that consider Hamas a terrorist group are preparing to elevate it to the main representative of the Palestinian people. European policymakers may say and swear that this isn't the case. But this is how most Palestinians will understand the situation. What the PA failed to achieve during decades of diplomatic negotiations, Hamas achieved with a terrorist attack.

Countries that will recognize the "State" of Palestine want to do so within the framework of the UN. I'm sorry to say, but when it comes to Gaza, the UN has served to legitimize terrorist rhetoric (not to mention the participation of UN officials in the October 7 terrorist attacks). Consider the recent UN report declaring a "genocide" in Gaza. In its summary of the facts regarding the start of the war in Gaza, the report states the following: "On 7 October 2023, Israel launched its military offensive in Gaza, which included airstrikes and ground operations." Where are the references to Hamas terrorist attacks? Where does it say that the Israeli government began military attacks in Gaza in response to Hamas attacks? In October 2023, there was no Israeli presence in Gaza. It was a territory entirely governed by Hamas.

This demonstrates what many in the UN believe about the October 7 terrorist attacks: it was a self-defense operation against the "Israeli occupation of Palestine." But in Gaza, there was no Israeli occupation. In other words, in the case of Gaza, the UN has no credibility whatsoever.

Finally, I have a question for those responsible for the Portuguese government (apparently, Portugal will also recognize the “State” of Palestine): have they made it a condition for this recognition that the PA and Hamas recognize the State of Israel?