Earlier this month, a Palestinian diplomat called Husam Zomlot was invited to a discussion at the Chatham House think tank in London. Belgium had just joined the UK, France, and other countries in promising to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations in New York. Dr. Zomlot was clear that this was a significant moment. What you will see in New York might be the actual last attempt at implementing the two-state solution, he warned.
Weeks on, that has now come to pass. The UK, Canada, and Australia, traditionally strong allies of Israel, have finally taken this step. Sir Keir Starmer announced the UK's move in a video posted on social media, stating, In the face of the growing horror in the Middle East, we are acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and of a two-state solution. More than 150 countries had previously recognized a Palestinian state, but this new acknowledgment from the UK and others is regarded as a critical milestone.
However, as Xavier Abu Eid, a former Palestinian official, states, Palestine has never been more powerful worldwide than it is now. The world is mobilized for Palestine. Yet, there are complex questions to answer about what constitutes Palestine and its statehood. Four criteria for statehood are outlined in the 1933 Montevideo Convention; Palestine can justifiably claim two: a permanent population (at risk due to ongoing conflicts) and the capacity for international relations, demonstrated by Zomlot's diplomatic engagement. However, it does not fit the requirement for defined territory, with no consensus on its final borders.
Historically, the Palestinian aspiration for statehood involves East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza Strip, all territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war. The West Bank and Gaza have been geographically separated for decades, complicating aspirations for a coherent political identity.
The Palestinian Authority, which emerged in the 1990s post-Oslo Accords, currently administers only about 40% of the West Bank due to Israeli military presence and settlement expansions. East Jerusalem remains largely isolated by Israeli settlements, while Gaza faces dire humanitarian crises following prolonged conflicts. Amid these adversities lies the critical need for a functioning government—another hindrance to Palestinian statehood.
Since the split between Hamas in Gaza and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, the political landscape has remained fragmented. Many Palestinians now express cynicism about political leadership, having not experienced elections since 2006. Advocates like Diana Buttu emphasize the urgent need for new leadership while lamenting the missed opportunities for restructuring Palestinian politics.
In discussions about leadership possibilities, Marwan Barghouti, despite being imprisoned since 2002, remains a popular figure among Palestinians, exemplifying the long-standing disconnect between leadership and community aspirations. Amid increasing violence and ineffective governance, challenges to Palestinian statehood persist, complicated by Israel's vehement opposition to the very notion of Palestinian sovereignty.
As recognition of Palestine by international powers grows, symbolic actions must be matched by tangible advancements in peace processes and internal governance. However, the conditions—political fragmentation, territorial disputes, and the failure to address core issues—make the path to realizing a stable Palestinian state uncertain.
