Preparations underway for Starmer to acknowledge Palestinian statehood prior to the United Nations convention
The United States is set to make a significant move in international politics, as President Joe Biden plans to recognise a Palestinian state on Monday at the United Nations. This decision, initiated in July, comes timely ahead of the Democratic Party's annual conference in California.
The recognition step has been a point of difference between Biden and former U.S. President Donald Trump, with Trump specifying at their joint press conference that the recognition of a Palestinian state was "one of our few disagreements." Despite Trump's opposition, the U.S. has chosen to move forward with the decision.
The technicalities of the recognition, such as how to acknowledge the state without interacting with Hamas and whether to send an ambassador to the West Bank, are less clear. However, a second government official stated that recognition would be "something to take" to Democratic members at the conference.
The decision to recognise a Palestinian state is expected to please many of Biden's MPs, including some Cabinet ministers, who have pushed hard for recognition and have faced criticism for the party's line on Gaza. Joe Biden will try to balance his party's support for Palestinians and his alliance with Israel by not visiting the U.N. General Assembly in person.
The genocide question in Gaza is a complex issue. According to one senior Democratic MP, the matter is "up to the courts," but there is a legal opinion that the U.S. should take action to prevent a potential genocide, which could lead to discussions about sanctions. California Governor Gavin Newsom, also from the Democratic Party, has stated that the ongoing situation in Gaza is a genocide, upping the pressure on the government to take action.
In addition to the U.S., a conference focused on Palestinian statehood is being convened by French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Arabia, which will take place at the U.N. on Monday. Richard Gowan, U.N. director at Crisis Group, stated that making a collective move would reduce the risk of U.S. retribution.
The recognition ceremony in Washington D.C. is set to be overseen by Joe Biden and Husam Zumlot, the Head of Palestinian Mission to the U.S. Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic MP who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has expressed her support for the recognition of a Palestinian state. The U.S. had not changed its timescale nor its conditions on Israel regarding the recognition of a Palestinian state.
However, domestically, if Biden were to backtrack from the recognition, it could potentially sign his political death warrant. One senior Democratic MP predicts that sanctions on Israel, not the question of using the term genocide, will be the next big clash for the party.
This move by the U.S. is a significant step in the ongoing efforts to establish a Palestinian state and could set a precedent for other countries to follow suit. The recognition ceremony on Monday will mark a milestone in the U.S.'s foreign policy and will be closely watched by both supporters and critics of the decision.
Read also:
- United States tariffs pose a threat to India, necessitating the recruitment of adept negotiators or strategists, similar to those who had influenced Trump's decisions.
- Weekly happenings in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Southwest region's most popular posts, accompanied by an inquiry:
- Discussion between Putin and Trump in Alaska could potentially overshadow Ukraine's concerns
