Adam Bader, a 27-year-old entrepreneur in the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem, felt hope when Western powers recognized a Palestinian state one year ago. Now, he sees no improvement. “I was happy when I heard about it,” Bader stated, adding, “Now a year on, we’re not seeing any improvement. On the contrary. The situation is getting worse by the day, and no one can do anything.” His testimony reflects a broader reality for Palestinians living under military occupation.
Settler violence has soared across the West Bank, while restrictions on Palestinian movement have dramatically increased. The Palestinian Authority, established under the Oslo Accords, has only been further weakened during this period. These facts on the ground starkly contradict the diplomatic gestures of recognition.
Escalating Occupation
French President Emmanuel Macron led a special UN summit on September 22, 2025, where ten countries, including Britain, Canada, and Australia, recognized Palestinian statehood. This brought the total number of UN member-states recognizing Palestine to approximately 157, more than four-fifths of the UN membership. However, Israel and the United States boycotted the summit, adamantly opposing the recognition drive.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government rejects Palestinian statehood, stepping up efforts to isolate the Palestinian Authority. Netanyahu declared last month, “As long as I am prime minister, an Iranian-controlled Palestinian state will not be established — neither in Gaza nor in Judea and Samaria. Period.” This statement underscores Israel’s commitment to maintaining its settler-colonial project.
Israel ordered the closure of the UK consulate serving Palestinians from Jerusalem after Britain led France and Canada in sanctions over rising attacks by settlers. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticized Britain’s Labour government, asserting it was attempting to “force upon Israel” a Palestinian state, an attempt he claimed was “doomed to fail.” This move demonstrates Israel's punitive response to any international pressure.
In early 2025, Israel built nearly 1,000 gates in the West Bank, effectively sealing off the entrances of almost all Palestinian villages and towns. This infrastructure of control further fragments Palestinian communities and restricts their daily lives. The UN reported that extremist settlers were responsible for an average of six attacks per day on Palestinians and Palestinian property in the West Bank in 2026, highlighting the unchecked violence perpetrated by settlers.
International Impotence
Omar Awadallah, deputy foreign affairs minister of the Palestinian Authority, observed that recognition makes the two-state solution a political and diplomatic reality. However, he lamented, “unfortunately on the ground it still depends on the illegal behavior of Israel, which is not implementing international resolutions.” His words highlight the persistent gap between international law and Israel's actions.
Palestinian political analyst Ines Abdel Razek noted that “The two-state solution’s become a diplomatic refrain to avoid looking at reality in the face.” This sentiment reflects the widespread understanding that the framework has failed to deliver justice or self-determination. Sameh, a software engineer in Nablus, echoed this, stating, “There is still a big distance between international recognition and seeing that recognition translated into reality on the ground.”
The Oslo Legacy
The Palestinian Authority, established in the 1990s under the Oslo Accords, faces a severe fiscal crisis. This crisis is partly due to Israel withholding customs revenue it collects on the PA’s behalf, leaving the Authority struggling to pay civil servants. Israel has also objected to the PA’s historic payments to families of imprisoned or slain Palestinians, including those who carried out attacks, a policy Israel brands as “pay to slay.” This financial strangulation further undermines any semblance of Palestinian self-governance, exposing the PA's role in managing the occupation.
The United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, less than one year ago. Iran backs Hamas in Gaza, while the Palestinian Authority, centered in the West Bank, is led by Fatah, Hamas’s archrival. This regional dynamic further complicates the already dire situation for Palestinians, as external conflicts are used to justify continued oppression.