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Israel announced its categorical rejection of the formal recognition of a Palestinian state by Britain, Australia and Canada, calling such decisions counterproductive to regional peace efforts.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a statement through the social media platform X, arguing that recognition of Palestinian statehood does not promote peace but rather destabilizes the region.
"Israel categorically rejects the unilateral statement regarding the recognition of a Palestinian State by Britain and some other countries," the ministry said in its statement.
Israeli officials argued that the decisions reward Hamas and strengthen its support, claiming this approach contradicts the logic of achieving reconciliation between the two sides. The statement further alleged that the Palestinian Authority has failed to fulfill its obligations.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry claimed that the Palestinian Authority is "part of the problem, not part of the solution," pointing to what it described as US sanctions against the Palestinian Authority that prevent high-level officials from entering American territory.
The ministry characterized the recognition decisions as "disconnected from reality and imaginary," suggesting they are driven by domestic political concerns within the recognizing countries rather than regional realities.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar escalated the rhetoric, accusing countries that recognize Palestinian statehood of engaging in "immoral, ugly and disgusting" actions.
In a video statement posted on his personal X account, Saar reiterated claims that the decision represents a reward to Hamas. "Many countries have recognized Palestine in the past, and it was wrong then as it is wrong today," Saar said. "But now the governments making recognition decisions are engaging in immoral, ugly and disgusting actions."
Saar claimed that opposition parties in the recognizing countries have shown resistance to these decisions, adding: "Our future will not be determined in London or Paris. It will be determined in Jerusalem."
The strong Israeli response reflects growing tensions over international recognition of Palestinian statehood, with Israel viewing such moves as undermining direct negotiations between the parties.
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