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Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar warned Sunday that any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state would prompt retaliatory actions by Israel, as momentum builds among several European nations to officially recognize Palestinian statehood.
"There have been talks about an initiative to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state... any attempt to do so unilaterally will only harm future prospects for a bilateral process and will push us for unilateral actions in response," Saar said during a press conference in Jerusalem alongside his German counterpart Johann Wadephul.
Saar criticized such diplomatic moves as "not constructive but counterproductive," claiming they amount to a "prize for Hamas terror."
His remarks followed recent announcements by countries including Ireland, Norway, Spain, and Slovenia that they have recognized a Palestinian state, citing growing concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced last month that Paris may recognize Palestine as early as June at an upcoming United Nations conference in New York.
"We must move towards recognition, and we will do so in the coming months," Macron told France 5 in a televised interview.
The statement was welcomed by Hamas as an “important step.” Nearly 150 countries worldwide currently recognize Palestine as a state.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said his country supports a two-state solution as the best path to peace and coexistence. "It must not be hindered either by the advancement of illegal settlement construction (by Israel) or by the premature recognition of a Palestinian state," he added.
In a separate development Sunday, France voiced support for reviewing the European Union's cooperation agreement with Israel due to ongoing restrictions on humanitarian aid entering Gaza.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated, "This is a legitimate request, and I invite the European Commission to examine it."
He emphasized that EU-Israel relations must be based on respect for human rights.
"The reality is that the Palestinians in Gaza are starving, they are thirsty, they lack everything, and the Gaza Strip is today on the brink of chaos and famine,” Barrot said. He called the Israeli government's stance “incomprehensible," he added.
Later in the day, Saar announced Israel's full endorsement of U.S. President Donald Trump’s newly proposed aid plan for Gaza, presented by Ambassador Mike Huckabee.
"Israel fully endorses the Trump Administration's plan... it would allow aid to reach civilians directly, bypassing Hamas, which uses aid to feed its war machine," Saar said. He added that Israeli soldiers would not distribute the aid themselves but would ensure its safe delivery to civilians.
Germany indicated conditional support for the plan while warning of deepening humanitarian suffering in Gaza. Wadephul stressed the need for safeguards to prevent aid from being exploited by Hamas.
The U.S. plan, set to be administered by a new non-governmental foundation, has drawn criticism for sidelining the United Nations and existing aid groups.
Meanwhile, preparations are underway for a Gulf-U.S. summit in Riyadh, where U.S. President Trump is expected to make a major announcement regarding Palestine.
A Gulf diplomatic source told The Media Line that Trump will declare official U.S. recognition of a Palestinian state, one that explicitly excludes Hamas.
"If an announcement of American recognition of the State of Palestine is made, it will be the most important declaration that will change the balance of power in the Middle East," the source said.
The summit’s agenda includes security, nuclear energy, and artificial intelligence deals.
Trump is also expected to visit the UAE and Qatar following the Saudi summit. Former Gulf diplomat Ahmed Al-Ibrahim, however, cast doubt on any Palestinian-focused announcement, noting that neither Egypt’s nor Jordan’s leaders were invited.
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