When approximately 80 percent of UN member states, 153 out of 193, have already officially recognized Palestine, why all the uproar over the recent recognitions by France, the United Kingdom, and a few other states?
The answer lies less in the formal recognition itself and more in political symbolism, timing, and media impact: France and the United Kingdom are positioning themselves as international leaders in the Middle East conflict. Emmanuel Macron uses the UN stage to present himself as a shaper of events; similar motives are at play in London.
These recognitions are deliberately used as leverage to push Israel toward concessions—such as a ceasefire, the release of security prisoners, or a cessation of “settlement” activity. At the same time, recognition by Western states generates far greater media attention than the quiet assent of numerous African, Asian, or Latin American countries.
Politicians also use such steps domestically to demonstrate moral engagement and to stage their stance on Israel and Palestine for voters. In reality, the addition of France, the United Kingdom, and others changes nothing: Palestine is already widely recognized...
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