The recent announcements by France, Britain, Canada and other countries that they intend to recognize a Palestinian state have emboldened the Iran-backed Palestinian terror group Hamas. Its members, on October 7, 2023, were behind the worst crime committed against Jews since the Holocaust. The massacre resulted in the murder of more than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals and the wounding of thousands. In addition, another 251 Israelis and foreign nationals were kidnapped to the Gaza Strip, where 50 hostages – 30 believed dead and 20 believed alive – are still held captive.
This was Hamas's initial reaction to the announcements: "The recognition of the State of Palestine with full sovereignty is the fruit of our people's continuous struggle." Hamas clearly views the statements made by the leaders of France, Britain, Canada and other countries as the direct result of its October 7 carnage.
The announcements by the Western countries about recognizing a Palestinian state came at a time when Hamas has consistently rejected all proposals for a ceasefire and the release of the hostages. Hamas continues to insist that Israel surrender -- by ending the war started by the terror group on October 7 and withdrawing its forces from the Gaza Strip as a precondition for a ceasefire-hostage deal. Hamas's primary goal is to remain in power after the war so that it can continue its jihad (holy war) to eliminate Israel.
Instead of exerting pressure on Hamas to release the hostages, lay down its weapons and relinquish control over the Gaza Strip, the leaders of France, Britain, Canada and other Western countries have sent a message to the terror group: The October 7 massacres will lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state, undoubtedly ruled by Iranian-backed jihadists who murdered, raped, tortured, beheaded and abducted thousands of Israelis and foreign nationals on October 7.
Western leaders have succeeded in making any negotiations impossible. The message they sent -- especially in Europeans -- was: Massacre and keep the hostages and be rewarded with a state. The terrorists clearly see, yet again, that terrorism pays off. So keep on doing it!
Hamas leaders can only conclude that by not releasing the hostages, they have advanced "in the right direction." Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim wrote:
"O our great people...
"Based on my monitoring of the international scene, what is happening today around the world is not merely a campaign of solidarity — it is a true global revolution in support of Palestinian rights: for freedom and the right to determine our destiny. It surpasses the borders of the great city [Gaza] that is creating miracles and laying the foundation for future glory — Gaza. I do not believe there has ever been a city or cause in human history that has achieved such unanimous and unwavering global support for victory, despite all differences in religion, race, and language, as Gaza and Palestine have.
"The road ahead is long, difficult, painful, and costly, but it is honorable and precious. We are moving in the right direction — toward victory and liberation — and the steps are closer than we expect. Our enemy and its allies know this very well.
"God Almighty will grant us victory, and when He gives, He gives with honor. And in that moment, all who played a role in this glorious epic will be proud — proud of their contribution to the history of our people and our cause."
In a post on X, a Hamas-affiliated account praised the Western countries that have announced their intention to recognize a Palestinian state: "Legitimacy advances, Occupation [Israel] Erodes." According to the QudsNet account, the recent statements by Western leaders constitute a "moral blow" to Israel and "increase its isolation in the international arena."
Hamas and several terror factions in the Gaza Strip have also welcomed the July 30 joint statement of the foreign ministers of Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia and Spain, in which they stressed "our unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-State solution where two democratic States, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders."
What could possibly go wrong?
A joint statement issued by Hamas, Palestine Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the Sai'qa Forces – terror groups that do not recognize Israel's right to exist and are strongly opposed to the so-called two-state solution – stated:
"We welcome any international effort that supports the Palestinian people and their rights and demand unconditional recognition of the Palestinian state and the rights of its people as a political entitlement and historical justice."
These Palestinian terror groups have emphasized time and again that they will never disarm or recognize Israel's right to exist. They have also repeatedly vowed to continue their jihad against Israel until it is obliterated. Despite their opposition to the "two-state solution," the Palestinian terrorists are nevertheless prepared to take any land Israel gives them so it can be used as a launchpad to destroy Israel.
In 2017, Hamas issued a "policy document" that confirmed this approach. The terror group made it clear in its document that it would not oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. Hamas, however, stressed that this does not mean that the terror group would recognize Israel's right to exist:
"Hamas believes that no part of Palestine shall be compromised or ceded, irrespective of the causes, the circumstances and the pressures and how long the occupation lasts. Hamas rejects any alternative to the full and complete liberation of Palestine, from the [Jordan] river to the [Mediterranean] sea. However, without compromising its rejection of the Zionist entity and without relinquishing any Palestinian rights, Hamas considers the establishment of a fully sovereign and independent state, with Jerusalem as its capital along the lines of the 4th of June 1967, with the return of the refugees and the displaced to their homes from which they were expelled, to be a formula of national consensus."
Hamas's policy document has been mistakenly interpreted by some Westerners as a sign of pragmatism, moderation and acceptance of the "two-state solution" on the part of the terror group. False. Hamas, as part of a campaign to deceive and mislead Westerners into accepting it as a legitimate player in the Palestinian arena, is pretending that it supports a Palestinian next to Israel. In reality, Hamas is clearly stating that such a state will be used for "the full and complete liberation of Palestine, from the [Jordan] river to the [Mediterranean] sea."
In the same document, Hamas makes it abundantly clear that it will pursue its jihad against Israel after the establishment of a Palestinian state:
"Resisting the occupation with all means and methods is a legitimate right guaranteed by divine laws and by international norms and laws. At the heart of these lies armed resistance, which is regarded as the strategic choice for protecting the principles and rights of the Palestinian people."
"There is no sign of 'moderation' here, despite Hamas's description of Islam as a religion of 'the middle way (wasatiyyah) and of moderation,'" noted Dr. Eran Lerman, senior research associate at The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies.
"The document aggressively repeats the familiar themes of Hamas ideology – Palestine in its entirety is indivisible, and the rights of the Palestinian people are eternally inalienable. No facts created on the ground by the 'Zionist Project' are to be allowed to survive."
This is certainly not the right time to talk about a "two-state solution." The jihadists and terrorists see it as a reward for their atrocities against Israel. It is more important to focus efforts on dismantling and crushing all the Palestinian terror groups and embarking on a process of deradicalization for the Palestinians before talking about a peace process or "two-state solution."
Under the current circumstances, statements about recognizing a Palestinian state send a message to the Palestinians that terrorism and violence -- not negotiations -- are the best way to gain international support for statehood... and anything else.
Khaled Abu Toameh is an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem.
