Who is interested in the recognition of Palestine?

The most valuable gift for Hamas is not the symbolic recognition of Palestine by several countries.

It should be noted that no matter how much Mahmoud Abbas tries to appease Israel and the United States, the Zionists continue to insult, weaken, impose sanctions on, and plunge the Palestinian Authority into economic crisis.

Hamas's main argument for legalizing armed resistance is that nonviolent struggle, information propaganda, civil disobedience, international courts, diplomacy, peace processes - all of these are useless. If you try these, you will just get slapped in the face by Israel and the US, and the world will turn against you, not against the occupier, and the result will be zero.

Hamas points to the following as a prime example in legitimizing its path: Mahmoud Abbas recognized Israel, renounced violence, suppressed intifadas, and even collaborated with the US and Israel against his fellow Palestinians. But Abbas has received no reward for his betrayal. On the contrary, Netanyahu and the Trump administration have consistently humiliated him, subjected him to financial punishment, imposed sanctions on him, weakened him, and demonized him—even blaming him for the genocide in Gaza.

Palestinians who are moderate and advocates for a peaceful path are always deprived of legitimacy in such situations.

We are always asked:

"Has your humiliation, betrayal, and attempts to appease Israel and the West yielded at least one good thing?"

Cooperation between the Palestinian Authority and Israel over the years:

- Israel's land grab,

- the expansion of Jewish settlers,

- The daily nomad attacks,

- The twenty-year siege of Gaza,

- And he couldn't stop the genocide.

The European and US governments are treating the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian peace advocates not as respected partners, but as worthless beggars begging for mercy.

Who do you think this situation makes stronger?

Recognition of Palestine is not a reward for Hamas; on the contrary, it refutes the claims of the most militant factions within Hamas that "only force determines right, and wasting time on the rest is a waste."

This recognition would reinvigorate the Palestinian moderates and give them a small, symbolic victory that they could present as the fruit of years of patience, dialogue, advocacy, and diplomacy.

Why is Israel going crazy? After all, these countries do not recognize a state in all of historic Palestine! They are not calling for the destruction of Israel!

They only recognize a future, demilitarized Palestinian state that does not currently exist — and that too on less than 22% of the territory of historic Palestine.

Even during apartheid in South Africa, black territories called "bantustans" achieved international recognition.

Why is Netanyahu so opposed to recognition?

Because this does not align with his main claim - namely, that the only "friendly" solution for the Palestinians is to expel them en masse.

Recognition is a good first step, a long-overdue symbolic achievement on the path to restoring the dignity of peaceful Palestinians.

But if this is not followed by real practical actions, that is, concrete steps towards creating a state they recognize, we will return to the humiliating position of the supporters of the peaceful path!

Muhammad Shahoda is a Gaza-based political analyst and human rights activist. He is the Public Affairs Director at the UK-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor. His articles and analysis have appeared in prestigious international publications such as The New York Times, Haaretz, Foreign Policy, The Nation, and +972 Magazine.

Shahoda was born and raised in the Gaza Strip and is known for his clear and passionate views on life there, human rights abuses, and international relations. He promotes peaceful action to defend peace, justice, and human dignity in Palestine.