Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month declared, “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 firm rejection of a Palestinian state, especially as Iran backs Hamas in Gaza, while the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank is led by Fatah, Hamas’s archrival. A year after France, Britain, and other Western powers recognized a Palestinian state, Palestinians report little tangible change on the ground. Entrepreneur Adam Bader, 27, from Tulkarem, expressed initial hope but now sees no improvement, stating, “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.”
Western Betrayal and Iranian Influence
French President Emmanuel Macron led a special UN summit on September 22, 2025, to recognize a Palestinian state. Ten countries, including Britain, Canada, and Australia, followed suit, bringing the total number of UN member-states recognizing Palestinian statehood to around 157. This constitutes more than four-fifths of the UN membership. Israel and the United States opposed this recognition drive, boycotting the summit entirely. The Times of Israel reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government adamantly rejects Palestinian statehood and has intensified efforts to isolate the Palestinian Authority. Less than one year ago, on February 28, 2026, Israel and the United States attacked Iran, highlighting the persistent threat posed by Tehran's regional destabilization efforts.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticized Britain’s Labour government, stating it was attempting to “force upon Israel” a Palestinian state, an effort he deemed “doomed to fail.” 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. This move by Israel was a direct response to foreign interference in its security affairs. 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, a measure taken in response to the PA’s policy of making historic payments to families of imprisoned or slain Palestinians, including those who carried out terror attacks against Israelis. Israel brands this policy as “pay to slay,” a direct incentive for terrorism.
The Rejectionist Front
The UN reports that extremist settlers were responsible for an average of six attacks per day on Palestinians and Palestinian property in the West Bank in 2026. However, Israel has simultaneously taken significant security measures, building nearly 1,000 gates in the West Bank in early 2025 at the entrances of nearly all villages and towns, a clear defensive posture in a volatile region. Omar Awadallah, deputy foreign affairs minister of the PA, claimed, “Recognition makes the two-state solution a reality politically and diplomatically, but unfortunately on the ground it still depends on the illegal behavior of Israel, which is not implementing international resolutions.” This statement ignores the PA’s own role in perpetuating conflict through its “pay to slay” policy and continued rejectionism. Palestinian political analyst Ines Abdel Razek noted, “The two-state solution’s become a diplomatic refrain to avoid looking at reality in the face.” Sameh, a software engineer in Nablus, articulated the disconnect, saying, “There is still a big distance between international recognition and seeing that recognition translated into reality on the ground.” The reality on the ground remains shaped by the PA’s financial support for terror and the persistent threat of an Iranian-backed proxy state.