During the UN General Assembly in September 2025, more than ten countries including France, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia successively announced their recognition of the State of Palestine, bringing the number of UN member states recognizing Palestine to 157. This series of diplomatic actions once again pushed the issue of Palestinian statehood to the forefront of international public opinion.
Concurrently, foreign ministers from Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, and Turkey, along with those from Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, and others, issued a joint statement calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the “two-state solution.”
01 Historical Retrospective: The Long Journey to Palestinian Statehood
The path to Palestinian statehood has been a history full of twists and turns and struggle.
In November 1947, the United Nations adopted Resolution 181, providing for the establishment of an Arab state and a Jewish state in Palestine. However, this resolution was never implemented.
On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was declared, while the establishment of a Palestinian state was repeatedly postponed.
On November 15, 1988, the 19th Special Session of the Palestinian National Council adopted the Declaration of Independence, formally proclaiming the establishment of the State of Palestine and recognizing UN Resolution 181 on the partition of Palestine.
In 1993, the two sides signed the Oslo Accords, agreeing to initial autonomy in Gaza and Jericho and planning negotiations on the final status of Palestine within a five-year transition period.
Due to serious disagreements on key issues such as the status of Jerusalem, the return of refugees, and border demarcation, the negotiations repeatedly reached an impasse.
02 International Consensus: The “Two-State Solution” as the Only Viable Way Forward
The international community widely believes that a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, is the only feasible way to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian issue.
In 2002, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1397, which for the first time explicitly expressed support for the vision of Palestinian statehood in a resolution.
In September 2025, the joint statement from Saudi Arabia and other countries emphasized that integrating Gaza and the West Bank into one Palestinian state based on the “two-state solution” is “key to achieving regional stability and security.”
It is worth noting that this wave of “recognition” mainly focused on Western countries, reflecting both strong dissatisfaction with Israeli and US Middle East policies and firm support for the “two-state solution.”
03 Real-world Challenges: Intertwined Internal and External Obstacles to Statehood
Palestinian statehood faces multiple obstacles, both external and internal.
External Hurdles
The stance of Israel is the primary obstacle to Palestinian statehood. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly declared, “there will be no Palestinian state,” and stated that Israel would control all land west of the Jordan River.
The US veto power has also become a key hindrance to Palestine’s UN membership. In 2011, Palestine submitted a formal application to become a UN member state but failed due to strong obstruction by the United States and Israel.
Internal Challenges
Political divisions within Palestine also weaken its statehood efforts. The situation where Fatah controls the West Bank and Hamas controls the Gaza Strip prevents Palestine from forming a unified political stance.
Furthermore, Palestine is economically heavily dependent on Israel. According to the Paris Economic Protocol, Israel is responsible for collecting tariffs on goods bound for the Palestinian areas and transferring the tax revenues to the Palestinian side. These funds account for over two-thirds of the Palestinian budget.
04 Humanitarian Crisis: The Grim Reality in the Gaza Strip
Since the outbreak of a new round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict in October 2023, Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip have resulted in over 60,000 Palestinian deaths, plunging the Gaza Strip into a severe humanitarian crisis.
Over 90% of homes in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed or damaged, with大量 schools and hospitals destroyed. Children face the risk of famine and severe malnutrition. The tragic situation in Gaza has spilled over to become a major domestic issue where Western publics are questioning their governments.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry stated that Israel has committed acts of genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. While this conclusion is controversial, it reflects the severity of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
05 The International Community: Jointly Promoting Palestinian Statehood
Facing the urgency of the Palestinian issue, the international community should take concerted action to promote the process of Palestinian statehood.
Promoting Internal Reconciliation
The international community should encourage and support various Palestinian factions to resolve differences through dialogue, achieve internal unity, and form a unified negotiation stance.
Only when Palestinians can speak with one voice can they effectively represent the interests of the Palestinian people in the final status negotiations.
Strengthening Diplomatic Efforts
The international community should continue to pressure Israel to stop building settlements, end the occupation of Palestinian territories, and return to the negotiating table.
Simultaneously, the United States should reconsider its position and stop vetoing Palestine’s UN membership application in the Security Council.
Supporting Economic Development
The international community should help Palestine develop its economy, reduce its dependence on Israel, and lay the economic foundation for a future Palestinian state.
This includes strengthening humanitarian and development assistance to Palestine, supporting infrastructure construction, and creating employment opportunities.
History will not wait, and justice should not be delayed. Palestinian statehood is not only the legitimate right of the Palestinian people but also a necessary condition for achieving peace and stability in the Middle East.
As former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said: “The establishment of an independent Palestinian state is not a ‘favor’ to the Palestinians, nor is it a ‘punishment’ for the Israelis; it is in Israel’s interest.”
Today, years after the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, the international community should take concrete actions to transform the “two-state solution” from diplomatic rhetoric into reality, allowing the Palestinian people, like the Israeli people, to enjoy a state of freedom, dignity, and security.
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