JERUSALEM – Israel on Sunday issued forceful condemnations after the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia announced formal recognition of a Palestinian state. Israeli officials said the move rewarded terrorism and risked harming efforts to recover hostages held by Hamas.
President Isaac Herzog said the recognition was โnot surprisingly, cheered by Hamas.โ He warned the step would not free one hostage and would not advance a settlement between Israelis and Palestinians.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the recognitions a reward for terrorism and said a Palestinian state would not be allowed to emerge west of the Jordan River. He framed the decisions as undermining Israelโs security and the broader fight against Hamas.
Senior coalition ministers moved quickly to propose countermeasures. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he would submit a plan to apply Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria at the next cabinet meeting. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged immediate steps to assert Israeli control and remove the idea of a Palestinian state from the agenda.
Settlement leaders convened an emergency meeting. The Yesha Council warned the government that failure to respond with sovereignty measures would amount to a political forfeiture of authority in the West Bank. It urged decisive action to secure long-term safety for Israeli communities.
Families of hostages criticized the recognitions as dangerously premature. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said any discussion of Palestinian statehood must be contingent on the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas. The forum called the move a moral and humanitarian error while relatives remain captive.
Opposition figures echoed security concerns. Yair Lapid described the coordinated recognitions as a diplomatic disaster and a reward for terrorism. Former army chief Gadi Eizenkot and opposition leader Benny Gantz warned the timing risked emboldening Hamas, prolonging the war, and weakening prospects of a hostage deal.
Palestinian officials welcomed the announcements. Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas called the recognitions an important step toward a two-state solution and urged an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian access, the release of all hostages and eventual Palestinian responsibility for Gaza.
International reactions were mixed. Supporters of the recognitions said the steps were intended to revive diplomacy and the two-state framework. Critics argued the decisions were symbolic at best and risked further polarizing the region while a major conflict continues.
Israelโs government faces a narrowing set of policy choices. Far right ministers pressed for rapid sovereignty moves in the West Bank. Centrist and left figures urged diplomatic and security caution, stressing the need to focus on ending violence and securing the hostages. The debate sets the stage for a tense cabinet discussion and heightened diplomatic friction with long-time partners.
This article is based on verified information from Reuters, The Times of Israel, The Guardian, Ynet, Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post, and official government statements.