Democrats chair Yair Golan: International recognition of Palestine ‘extremely damaging’ to Israel ‘at this time’

Democrats chairman Yair Golan says that recognizing a Palestinian state is “destructive” and “extremely damaging” to Israel, ahead of the UN summit tomorrow in New York, in which numerous countries are expected to formally recognize Palestinian statehood.

The leader of the left-wing party has long supported a two-state solution, but “not at this time.”

“After October 7 and Hamas’s heinous attack, talking about a Palestinian state is destructive,” Golan says in an interview with 103FM radio. “We should now be talking about a process centered on separation, with security responsibility in Israel’s hands, a significant and thorough period during which Israel ensures that the other side is capable of upholding a future agreement.”

“I spoke with the French Foreign Ministry and tried to explain how harmful this is to the issues they want to promote, including solving the Palestinian problem,” he says.

In July, France, which is co-chairing the summit alongside Saudi Arabia, was among the first in a series of European states to announce that it would recognize a Palestinian state.

Golan blames the recognition on the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, accusing him of “ignoring the world” and “creating a modern Sparta,” referring to highly criticized remarks the premier made last week in which he admitted that Israel was facing increasing isolation.

“If we had managed this correctly, it could have been handled in a way that protects Israel and avoids unnecessary risks to national security,” says Golan.

He adds, at the same time, that annexing Gaza and its Palestinian population, as has been floated by the current government, is impossible: “No country in the world is ready, willing, or interested in absorbing two million Palestinians.”

He insists that “solving the Palestinian problem” must be led by Israelis and Palestinians, with “strong support from regional countries.”