Sa’ar: Western recognition of Palestinian state ‘will push Israel to also make unilateral decisions’

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar slams European plans for recognition of a Palestinian state this month, warning that such moves will push Israel to take reciprocal measures, at a joint press conference in Jerusalem with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen.

Emphasizing the importance of “dialogue” with Europe on regional issues, Sa’ar says he told Rasmussen this morning that “states like France and the [United Kingdom] that pushed the so-called ‘recognition’ of a so-called ‘Palestinian state’ had made a tremendous mistake.”

“Because you cannot disconnect the issue of statehood, which is one of the final status agreement issues,” he continues, referring to the five agreed-upon status quo issues that were defined in the 1990s Oslo peace process framework between Israel and the Palestinians.

The issues included the status of Jerusalem, the final boundaries between Israel and a Palestinian state, the future of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, the fate of Palestinian refugees and their claimed “right of return,” as well as security arrangements.

“You cannot disconnect statehood from peace, because if you do that, it will make it even harder to reach peace. A peace agreement in the future can happen only in a bilateral context,” Sa’ar says.

He reiterates that unilateral recognition “will be a present for Hamas,” as it would link recognition to the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, massacre that sparked the ongoing war. “This is how Palestinians looked at it. It will not bring us closer to peace or security. It will destabilize the region,” he says.

“It will push Israel also to have unilateral decisions, and that would be a grave mistake,” Sa’ar warns, urging “responsible states in Europe, including Denmark,” to push against the move. “We still have time to prevent it.”

In the Q&A portion of the press conference, Sa’ar addresses reports that Israel might annex parts of the West Bank in retaliation for Western recognition of a Palestinian state.

“We are having discussions on this issue with [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,]” Sa’ar says, adding vaguely, “There will be a decision. I think I don’t have to elaborate.”

He adds that he discussed the matter with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his visit to Washington last month, saying, “If there will be any news, I’m sure it will be declared.”