Reuters

RAMALLAH: US President Donald Trump&#39;s Gaza peace plan outlines a blueprint for Palestinian statehood, but in the West Bank - where this vision would be realised - the economic prospects for a viable state are being strangled. Transport corridors used by business have been fragmented by a network of Israeli settlements, employees of Palestinian institutions have not been paid as Israel blocks transfers of tax revenues, and the vital pillar of remittances from workers heading to Israel has all but dried up since the Gaza war began. &quot;We think twice before spending one shekel,&quot; Rami Harfoosh said as his 13-year-old son, who wonders if he will ever attend university, looked on. He has not been able to afford to buy a replacement for his son&#39;s hearing aid since losing the $1,700 monthly paycheck he used to receive working in Israel. Questions over viability of a Palestinian state Trump secured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s backing on Monday for a U.S.-sponsored peace proposal to end nearly two years of war in Gaza, and there is growing international support for Palestinian statehood. But peace in Gaza is not guaranteed - there are questions over whether Hamas will accept the plan and Trump said Israel can &quot;do what you would have to do&quot; if the Palestinian militant group rejects it. A viable Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank, a separate territory that is currently occupied by Israel and lies between Israel and the western bank of the River Jordan, may also not be imminent. The Palestinian Authority (PA), which exercises limited governance of areas where most of the Palestinian population lives, considers itself the sole representative of the Palestinian people. But its credibility has been undermined by the impact of the Israeli fiscal squeeze, its own poor management of the economy, rapid Israeli settlement building on land Palestinians want for a state and a lack of political reforms. &quot;Persistent fiscal strains have drastically eroded the Palestinian Authority&rsquo;s (PA) revenue base, placing extreme constraints on the financing of basic services,&quot; said a World Bank report. &quot;If sustained, these dynamics have the potential to precipitate fiscal collapse.&quot; The PA has denied allegations of corruption and says Israel wages financial warfare to prevent the possibility of a viable Palestinian state. Israel did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Loss of confidence in Palestinian Authority Like many Palestinians, Rami Thawlatin thinks little about the notion of a Palestinian state. He made a decent living on a construction site in Israel for years but has struggled to support his family since work permits were halted after the Hamas-led attack on Israel October 7, 2023 that began the Gaza war. These days he rarely finds enough work to support his family in the West Bank, borrowing money from his father and brothers. Thawlatin says he cannot rely on the PA to fix the economy, create jobs or provide adequate health services. &quot;No one is familiar with us or assists us, not the Authority, not the labour union, and no one who is our leader,&quot; he said. The PA, which is led by President Mahmoud Abbas, has not held a parliamentary election in the West Bank since 2006 and some Palestinian officials say it is facing one of its gravest crises since it was created under interim peace deals with Israel 30 years ago. Israel withholds funds&nbsp; Under a longstanding arrangement, Israel collects taxes on goods that pass through Israel into the West Bank and makes monthly transfers to authorities in the main city of Ramallah. Since May, Israel&#39;s finance ministry has withheld around 10 billion Shekels ($2.96 billion) in the funds it collects in taxes and duties on behalf of the PA, which is now cutting salaries and is unable to pay contractors. After the Gaza war started, Israel&#39;s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, began withholding a portion of those revenues equal to the amount transferred by the PA to Gaza, where the Abbas-led administration has continued financing services, salaries and pensions despite Hamas&#39;s takeover there. Smotrich says the funds would end up in Hamas&#39; hands. Wael al-Sheikh, undersecretary of the Palestinian health ministry, said there were severe shortages of medicine, including oncology drugs and general surgery items. &quot;The situation is very critical,&quot; he said. Since October 2023, PA salary payments have been cut to about 70% of full wages, and further declined in mid-2025 following the suspension of clearance revenue transfers from Israel. In May 2025, salaries were paid at 60%. In June, payments dropped to 50%. &quot;We no longer have the ability to borrow from banks, all the internal technical solutions we have done, we have done everything in the matter of reducing expenses,&quot; said Planning and International Cooperation Minister Estephan Salameh. Young people uncertain about the future&nbsp; Israeli telecommunications companies have been moving into the territory, said Laith Daraghmeh, CEO of the Palestinian Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). In 2025, 22 communication towers will be built with Israeli government financing near Jewish settlements, Daraghmeh said. &quot;But it is a direct directive to impact the Palestinian economy by reducing the number of users of (Palestinian) networks and creating the &#39;digital divide&#39; that they are always seeking,&quot; he said. Some Palestinian areas have no telecommunications services at all, he said. Younger generations worry about their prospects in the West Bank. Lina, 22, graduated with honours in English literature and business administration from the West Bank&#39;s Birzeit University this year but could not find a paid job in Ramallah. Last year she spent five months on an education trip in Germany. &quot;There I realised they can see a future, had plans. Here it is different. I don&#39;t have a single friend who is not thinking of leaving,&quot; she said.

Workers eat during a break from expanding an Israeli bypass road connecting Israeli settlers in the West Bank with Jerusalem, near Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, September 29, 2025. (Reuters)

Middle East

Asia

Trump’s Gaza peace plan proposes Palestinian statehood, but the West Bank’s economy is collapsing under Israeli restrictions and internal challenges, deepening uncertainty for Palestinians, especially youth.

As Trump's plan talks of building a Palestinian state, West Bank's economy is collapsing

Web Desk

Abbas condemns group's deadly attack on Israel in address to UN summit on two-state solution; Western nations offer to assist with treating patients from Gaza in the West Bank; at least 151 countries out of 193 UN members recognize Palestine.



  


Palestinian president calls for Hamas to surrender weapons

GAZA CITY: A senior Hamas official on Sunday hailed Britain, Canada, and Australia&#39;s recognition of a Palestinian state, describing it as a victory for the rights of Palestinians. &nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;These developments represent a victory for Palestinian rights and the justice of our cause, and send a clear message: no matter how far the occupation goes in its crimes, it will never be able to erase our national rights,&quot; Mahmud Mardawi told AFP. &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;In a statement later on Sunday, Hamas said the recognition must be accompanied by &quot;practical measures&quot;. &nbsp; &nbsp; These, it said, should include an immediate halt to &quot;the genocidal war being waged against our people in the Gaza Strip and confronting the ongoing annexation and judaisation projects in the West Bank and Jerusalem,&quot; the group said in a statement. &nbsp; &nbsp; Earlier, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia formally recognized the State of Palestine, a significant move aimed at reviving momentum for a two-state solution, despite strong opposition from the United States and Israel. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in a televised address, marking a historic shift in UK foreign policy after decades of non-recognition. &nbsp;&quot;Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognizes the State of Palestine,&quot; Starmer wrote on X, formerly Twitter. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Canada quickly followed suit, with Prime Minister Mark Carney declaring that his country had joined other major Western nations in pressing Israel to end the war in Gaza. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;Canada recognizes the State of Palestine and offers our partnership in building the promise of a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel,&quot; Carney wrote on the same platform. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Australia also made its move, recognizing Palestine as &quot;independent and sovereign&quot; effective immediately. &quot;In doing so, Australia acknowledges the legitimate and long-held aspirations of the Palestinian people to a state of their own,&quot; said a joint statement from the leaders of Australia, the UK, and Canada. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized that this recognition reflects Australia&#39;s &quot;longstanding commitment to a two-state solution, which has always been the only path to enduring peace and security for both Israeli and Palestinian peoples.&quot; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Reacting to the recognition, Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin hailed the development as a crucial step toward Palestinian sovereignty. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;Countries recognizing a Palestinian state this week are taking an irreversible step that preserves the two-state solution and brings Palestinian independence closer,&quot; she told reporters in Ramallah. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Shahin emphasized that while the move might not immediately end the ongoing war, it is a significant stride forward.&nbsp; &quot;Now is the time. Tomorrow is a historic date we need to build on. It&#39;s not the end,&quot; she added, referring to Israel&#39;s nearly two-year military campaign in Gaza. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; In a related development, Portugal also expressed its intention to recognize the Palestinian state on Sunday, as confirmed by its foreign ministry in a statement issued on Friday. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; This shift in diplomatic stance from major Western nations comes ahead of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), where the issue of Palestinian statehood and the ongoing conflict in Gaza is expected to be a key focus of discussions. &nbsp; &nbsp; The development irked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, prompting a response stating that it &quot;would not happen&quot;. &nbsp;

UK, Canada, Australia officially recognize Palestine as a state; Portugal expresses intention to recognize state on Sunday. 

Hamas official says state recognition a victory for Palestinian rights 

CAIRO: Israeli strikes in Gaza City and at a refugee camp killed more than 40 people, including 19 women and children, health officials said Sunday, as several European countries and leading U.S. allies moved to recognize a Palestinian state. Health officials at Shifa Hospital, where most of the bodies were brought, said the dead included 14 people killed in a strike late Saturday which hit a residential block in the southern side of the city. Health staff said a nurse who worked at the hospital was among the dead, along with his wife and three children. Another strike that targeted a group of people in front of a clinic in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza killed at least eight Palestinians, according to the Al-Awda Hospital. The dead include four children and two women, the hospital said. Another 22 people were wounded, it said. Israel did not comment on the strikes. Anti-war protests in Israel The latest Israeli military operation, which began this week, further escalates a conflict that has roiled the Middle East and likely pushes any ceasefire further out of reach. The Israeli military, which has told Palestinians to leave, hasn&rsquo;t given a timeline for the offensive, but there were indications it could take months. Israel says the operation is meant to pressure Hamas into freeing hostages and surrendering. Ahead of the United Nations General Assembly, peace activists in Israel have hailed the planned recognition of a Palestinian state. On Sunday, a group of more than 60 Jewish and Arab organizations representing about 1,000 activists, including some veteran organizations promoting peace and coexistence, known as It&#39;s Time Coalition, called for an end to the war, the release of the hostages and the recognition of a Palestinian state. &ldquo;We refuse to live forever by the sword. The UN decision offers a historic opportunity to move from a death trap to life, from an endless messianic war to a future of security and freedom for both peoples,&quot; said the coalition in a video statement. On Saturday night, tens of thousands of people in Israel protested, calling for an end to the war and a hostage deal. Yet a ceasefire remains elusive. Israeli bombardment over the past 23 months has killed more than 65,000 people in Gaza, destroyed vast areas of the strip, displaced around 90% of the population and caused a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, with experts saying Gaza City is experiencing famine. Netanyahu says Palestinian state &lsquo;will not happen&rsquo; On Sunday, Australia, Canada and the U.K. announced formal recognition of Palestinian statehood. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the move is intended &ldquo;to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis.&rdquo; Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the announcement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the establishment of a Palestinian state &ldquo;will not happen.&rdquo; In an angry statement after the coordinated initiative from the Commonwealth nations was announced, he accused the foreign leaders of giving a &ldquo;prize&rdquo; to Hamas. &ldquo;It will not happen,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River.&rdquo; Netanyahu said he would announce Israel&rsquo;s response after a trip next week to the U.S., where he is to meet President Donald Trump at the White House. Other prominent Western countries are preparing to recognize Palestinian statehood at the gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly on Monday, including France. French President Emmanuel Macron criticized Israel&rsquo;s conduct in its war against Hamas, calling it a &ldquo;failure&rdquo; because the group continues to recruit more fighters. In a CBS interview Sunday, Macron said that while Israel has succeeded in killing Hamas leaders, it has been unable to dismantle it during the nearly two-year conflict in Gaza. Macron told CBS that Israel&rsquo;s approach undermines the country&rsquo;s credibility by killing civilians, and that the war creates &ldquo;an unsustainable framework of security in the whole region.&rdquo; Dire humanitarian crisis In a statement Sunday, the military stated it killed Majed Abu Selmiya, who it said was a sniper for Hamas&rsquo; military wing and was preparing to carry out more attacks in the Gaza City area, without providing evidence. Majed was the brother of the director of Shifa hospital, Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, who called the allegations a lie and said Israel was trying to justify the killing of civilians. Dr. Selmiya told The Associated Press that his brother, 57, suffered from high blood pressure, diabetes and had vision problems. As the attacks continue, Israel has ordered hundreds of thousands of Palestinians sheltering in Gaza City to move south to what it calls a humanitarian zone and opened another corridor south of the city for two days this week to allow more people to evacuate. Palestinians were streaming out of Gaza City by car and on foot, though many are unwilling to be uprooted again, too weak to leave or unable to afford the cost of moving. Along the coastal Wadi Gaza route, those too exhausted to continue stopped to catch their breath and give their children a much-needed break from the difficult journey. Aid groups have warned that forcing thousands of people to evacuate will exacerbate the dire humanitarian crisis. They are appealing for a ceasefire so aid can reach those who need it. Pope denounces &lsquo;forced exile&rsquo; of Palestinians Pope Leo XIV criticized what he described as the &ldquo;forced exile&rdquo; of Palestinians from Gaza, saying there was no future for the &ldquo;martyred&rdquo; Gaza Strip based on violence and vendetta. During his Sunday noon blessing, Leo issued another appeal for peace and expressed appreciation for the work of Catholic organizations active in helping Palestinians, which had representatives present in St. Peter&rsquo;s Square. Families of hostages still held by Hamas have accused Netanyahu of condemning their loved ones to death by continuing to fight rather than negotiating an end to the war. Israel in talks with Syria Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting that Israel&rsquo;s victories in Lebanon against Hezbollah &ldquo;have opened a window for the possibility of peace with our neighbors to the north.&rdquo; &ldquo;We are holding talks with the Syrians -- there is some progress, but still a vision for the future,&rdquo; he said. Israel has occupied parts of southwest Syria since the overthrow of then-Syrian President Bashar Assad in December. Relations with the new Syrian government have been tense, with Israel carrying out airstrikes over the summer in what it says were steps to protect Syria&rsquo;s Druze community. Syria&rsquo;s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa said in an interview on Syrian state television on Sept. 12 that negotiations with Israel for a security deal are still ongoing. He hopes that Israeli troops will return to where they were before the fall of Assad&rsquo;s government under a disengagement agreement in 1974. &ldquo;Israel considered the fall of the regime as Syria&rsquo;s withdrawal from the 1974 agreement, even though Syria showed its commitment from the very beginning,&rdquo; said al-Sharaa.

Israeli strikes killed 40+ in Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens; Western allies recognize Palestinian statehood, while Netanyahu rejects peace prospects.

Israeli strikes kill more than 40 people in Gaza, say health officials, ahead of UN meeting

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will lead Pakistan&rsquo;s delegation to the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, set to begin on September 22, the foreign office said on Sunday.&nbsp;Accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with several cabinet ministers and senior government officials, PM Sharif is scheduled to address the high-level segment of the gathering, which will bring together world leaders for discussions on pressing global issues.&nbsp;During his address, PM Sharif will highlight Pakistan&rsquo;s stance on the prolonged occupation and denial of self-determination in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the Palestinian territories. A key focus of his speech will be the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with a call for the international community to take urgent and decisive action.&nbsp;The prime minister will also emphasize Pakistan&rsquo;s perspectives on regional security, climate change, counterterrorism, Islamophobia, and the implementation of the United Nations&#39; Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1969648323490681060&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=687b137dc7b5edf620adb31a7f59618ab6964437&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 899px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&nbsp;In addition to his address, Sharif is expected to participate in several high-level events on the sidelines of the UNGA, including meetings of the UN Security Council, the Global Development Initiative (GDI), and a special session on climate action.&nbsp;Sharif will also engage in a series of bilateral meetings with world leaders and senior UN officials, reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to the principles of the UN Charter, conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and sustainable development. Notably, Pakistan is currently serving as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.&nbsp;The foreign office emphasized that Sharif&#39;s participation at the UNGA will underscore Pakistan&rsquo;s continued commitment to multilateralism and its longstanding role in promoting international peace and development.&nbsp;Palestine, US ties, and Syria talks on agenda: ErdoganIn a similar vein, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan announced that he will raise the issue of Israel&rsquo;s actions in Gaza at the UNGA. He called for broader recognition of Palestine to accelerate efforts toward a two-state solution.&nbsp;Erdogan also noted that discussions with US President Donald Trump would focus on trade and defense cooperation. Additionally, he plans to meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa during his visit.

Foreign Affairs

PM Sharif to attend high-level UNGA events, hold bilateral meetings, and discuss regional security, climate action, and development.

Kashmir, Gaza on agenda as Pakistan PM set to participate at UN General Assembly

LONDON: Britain and Portugal were expected to recognize a Palestinian state on Sunday, ahead of a key week at the UN&#39;s gathering where a suite of nations are set to do the same to pressure Israel over Gaza.&nbsp;A growing number of longtime Israeli allies have shifted positions in recent months as Israel has intensified its Gaza offensive.&nbsp;The besieged Palestinian territory has suffered vast destruction, death and lack of food that have resulted in a major humanitarian crisis.&nbsp;World leaders will gather for a key debate at the UN General Assembly in New York this week, where the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be front and center.&nbsp;Around 10 nations are expected to recognize a Palestinian state in the coming days, with UK media outlets like the BBC reporting that Prime Minister Keir Starmer would announce the policy shift on Sunday -- over fierce Israeli objection.&nbsp;Starmer had said in July that Britain would formally recognize the State of Palestine if Israel did not take &quot;substantive steps&quot; towards a ceasefire with Hamas by the time the UN General Assembly convened.&nbsp;The Labour leader said at the time that the move would make &quot;a contribution to a proper peace process, at the moment of maximum impact for the two-state solution.&quot;&nbsp;In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused him of rewarding &quot;monstrous terrorism&quot; and appeasing &quot;jihadist&quot; ideology.&nbsp;Israel opposedPortugal&#39;s foreign ministry said on Friday that it would also formally declare its recognition on Sunday.&nbsp;Lisbon had already announced in July that it intended to do so, citing the &quot;extremely worrying evolution of the conflict&quot; as well as the humanitarian crisis and Israel&#39;s repeated threats to annex Palestinian land.&nbsp;Since then, Israel has bombarded Gaza, a UN-backed hunger monitor has declared a famine in part of the territory, and the Israeli military has said it will use &quot;unprecedented force&quot; to capture Gaza City.&nbsp;France and Canada are among the other Western nations planning to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN gathering in the coming week.&nbsp;Israel has vehemently opposed the moves and has reportedly threatened to annex the West Bank in response.&nbsp;UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told AFP on Friday that the world &quot;should not feel intimidated by the risk of retaliation&quot; from Israel.&nbsp;Israel&#39;s military campaign has killed at least 65,208 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Gazan health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.

France and Canada are among the other Western nations planning to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN gathering in the coming week.

UK, Portugal to recognize Palestinian state ahead of UN debate

About 10 countries including Australia, Belgium, Britain and Canada are expected to formally recognise an independent Palestinian state on Monday at a summit before the annual leaders&#39; gathering at the UN General Assembly.What would that mean for the Palestinians and Israel?What is the status of Palestinian statehood now?The Palestine Liberation Organization declared an independent Palestinian state in 1988, and most of the global South quickly recognized it. Today, 147 of the 193 UN member states have done so - most recently Mexico, in January.Netanyahu&rsquo;s position&nbsp;Israel&#39;s main ally, the United States, has long said it will recognize a Palestinian state, but only after the Palestinians agree with Israel on a &quot;two-state solution&quot;. Until recent weeks, the major European powers shared this position.However, no such negotiations have been held since 2014, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has now said there will never be a Palestinian state.A delegation representing the State of Palestine has observer status at the United Nations - but no voting rights.Washington&rsquo;s veto&nbsp;No matter how many countries recognize Palestinian independence, full UN membership would require approval by the Security Council, where Washington has a veto.Palestinian diplomatic missions worldwide are controlled by the Palestinian Authority, which is recognized internationally as representing the Palestinian people.The PA, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, exercises limited self-rule in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank under agreements with Israel. It issues Palestinian passports and runs the Palestinian health and education systems.The Gaza Strip has been administered by Hamas since 2007, when it drove out Abbas&#39;s Fatah movement after a brief civil war, although the PA still funds many salaries.US embassy in Jerusalem&nbsp;Most major powers, with the exception of the US since President Donald Trump moved its embassy to Jerusalem, have their main diplomatic missions in Tel Aviv because they do not recognize Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.However, about 40 have consular offices in Ramallah in the West Bank, or in East Jerusalem - an area whose annexation by Israel is not internationally recognized, which the Palestinians want as their capital.They include China, Russia, Japan, Germany, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia and South Africa.Countries planning to recognize a Palestinian state have not said what difference that would make to their diplomatic representation.Who is promising to recognize Palestine and why?Britain, France, Canada, Australia and Belgium have all said they will recognise a Palestinian state around the time of the UN General Assembly this month, although London said it could hold back if Israel were to take steps to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and commit to a long-term peace process.The countries say these moves are intended to put pressure on Israel to end its devastating assault on Gaza, curtail the building of new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and recommit to a peace process with the Palestinians.French President Emmanuel Macron, the first leader of a major Western power to endorse recognition, said the move would be accompanied by a commitment by the PA to enact reforms, which would improve Palestinian governance and make it a more credible partner for the post-war administration of Gaza.What has recognition meant in practice?Those who see recognition as a mere gesture point to the limited influence in the conflict of countries such as China, Russia and many Arab states that recognized Palestinian independence decades ago.Without a full seat at the UN or control of its own borders, the Palestinian Authority has only limited ability to conduct bilateral relations. There are no formal embassies in Palestinian territory, and countries cannot freely send diplomats there.Israel restricts access to goods, investment and educational or cultural exchanges. There are no Palestinian airports. The landlocked West Bank can be reached only through Israel or through the Israeli-controlled border with Jordan, and Israel controls all access to the Gaza Strip.Still, countries planning recognition and the PA itself say it would be more than an empty gesture.&#39;An equal footing&#39;&nbsp;The Palestinian ambassador to Britain, Husam Zomlot, said it could lead to partnerships between entities on an equal footing.It might also force countries to review aspects of their relationships with Israel, said Vincent Fean, a former British consul-general in Jerusalem.In Britain&#39;s case, this might result in banning products that come from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, he said, even though the practical impact on the Israeli economy would be minimal.Israeli, US reactionIsrael, facing a global outcry over its conduct in the Gaza war, says recognition would reward Hamas.After decades of being formally committed to a peace process ending in Palestinian independence, Israel is now run by its most far-right government, including parties sworn to make it impossible for the Palestinians ever to gain a state.Netanyahu says Israel will never give up ultimate security control of Gaza or the West Bank.The United States strongly opposes the recognition moves by its European allies. It has responded by imposing sanctions on Palestinian officials, including blocking Abbas and other PA figures from attending the UN General Assembly by denying and revoking visas.

About 10 countries plan to formally recognize Palestine, pressuring Israel over Gaza and settlements. Recognition remains symbolic without UN membership or control, but may equalize diplomatic relations and impact Israel politically. 

Articles tagged with "Palestinian statehood"