European Nations Recognizing Palestine Isolates Israel Further

In the wake of the Gaza conflict’s toll, Israel faced increased international isolation on Wednesday as three European nations diverged from their EU allies to recognize Palestine.

This move, labeled “obscene” by an Israeli official, is unlikely to have significant practical repercussions in either Gaza’s devastation or the occupied West Bank. However, it compounds Israel’s existing challenges, including warnings from Washington regarding arms withholdings, sanctions against extremist settlers, and legal actions such as accusations of genocide before the International Court of Justice.

Read more: Norway, Ireland and Spains Recognition Of Palestinian State Marks A Major Breakthrough

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, which has been resistant to the two-state solution, now confronts heightened suspicion toward the Palestinian Authority and hindered prospects for peace talks.

Additionally, Israel’s summoning of ambassadors from Oslo, Madrid, and Dublin, and the display of footage of an attack on Israel by Hamas-led gunmen to Norwegian, Irish, and Spanish diplomats underscore the deepening rift.

The decision of the three European countries, while diplomatically bold, is criticized as emotionally insensitive and counterproductive. It fuels Israeli paranoia while falsely raising Palestinian expectations, without providing a clear path toward a viable solution.

Despite potential short-term gains for Netanyahu’s government, such as reinforcing an image of defiance, the long-term consequences of obstructing progress toward a Palestinian state could be severe. This stance risks jeopardizing Israel’s aspirations for normalized relations with Saudi Arabia and incurs political costs, both domestically and internationally.

The recognition of Palestine by individual countries is viewed as part of a broader trend that includes legal actions against Israel in international forums, which may collectively compel Israel to recognize global realities.