Two states “only solution”
Federal government considers recognition of Palestine to be premature
May 22, 2024, 4:39 p.m
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The federal government remains committed to a two-state solution, but currently rejects the recognition of a Palestinian state. The SPD MP Michael Roth speaks of a wrong decision by Ireland, Norway and Spain. The Union takes a similar tone.
Unlike Norway, Ireland and Spain, the federal government currently continues to reject recognition of Palestine as a state. The goal of a negotiated two-state solution between Israel and Palestinians remains, “at the end of which there is the acceptance that there is a separate Palestinian state,” said government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit in Berlin. However, such a two-state solution is currently far away.
Nevertheless, such a negotiated two-state settlement, accepted by all sides, in which Israel and Palestinians live peacefully next to each other, is “the only solution to this conflict, however lengthy it would be,” added Hebestreit. “This will require a lot of diplomatic skill and probably a lot of time.” Against the background of the recognition of a Palestinian state by other European countries, he added: “There is no shortcut now.” Nobody should have the hope that this difficult conflict will suddenly disappear into thin air “through a diplomatic measure, through a decision.”
The governments of Norway, Ireland and Spain had previously announced that they would recognize Palestine as a state. This was announced by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. The move is scheduled to be formally completed on May 28th.
France sees no taboo in recognition
France’s Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné, on the other hand, has rejected recognition of Palestine as a state at this point in time. “Our position is clear: recognizing Palestine is not taboo for France,” said the minister after a meeting with his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz in Paris. However, the decision for recognition must be useful, which means that it enables decisive progress at the political level, said Séjourné. It has to happen at the right time.
“It is not just a symbolic question or a question of political positioning, but a diplomatic tool at the service of the solution with two states living side by side in peace and security,” said the French foreign minister. “France does not consider that the conditions have existed up until today for this decision to have a real impact on this process.”
The US only wants to recognise a Palestinian state after negotiations. “The President is a strong supporter of a two-state solution and has done so throughout his career,” said a spokesman for the National Security Council at the White House in Washington, referring to US President Joe Biden. “He believes that a Palestinian state should be achieved through direct negotiations between the parties and not through unilateral recognition,” he added.
Roth: “Wrong signal at the wrong time”
The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael Roth, criticized the recognition of Palestine by the three states as a wrong decision. “The unilateral recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state is the wrong signal at the wrong time,” said the SPD politician Editorial Network Germany. “I fear that this will not bring us any closer to the necessary two-state solution.”
There is currently no functioning statehood in the Palestinian territories. In addition, the Palestinian Authority does not recognize the State of Israel. “The false impression arises that only the horrific terror of Hamas on October 7th led to a new positive dynamic in favor of the Palestinians. But the opposite is the case,” said Roth.
It is also regrettable that the EU is not taking a joint approach to this issue. “Once again, the deep divisions within the EU on a key foreign and security policy issue are becoming apparent in a frustrating way,” said Roth. “We need the USA, the moderate Arab states, Israel and the Palestinian territories all on board. Mutual recognition should be the end result of negotiations that pave the way to lasting peace in the Middle East with one state of Israel and one state of Palestine.” This requires “thoughtfulness and unity.”
Hardt: “Recognition doesn’t help much”
The foreign policy spokesman for the Union parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Jürgen Hardt, also warned the federal government against recognizing Palestine as a separate state. “The tried and tested formula should continue to apply to Germany: recognition of a state of Palestine only in the course of successful peace negotiations,” he told the “Rheinische Post”.
In such negotiations, the so-called final status issues of the Middle East conflict would also have to be agreed between the parties to the conflict. Hardt added that even if sovereign states decide for themselves what status they give to their diplomatic relations, “such recognition is of little help until a negotiated solution is reached.” Instead, what is needed is “a concrete, authentic engagement with the parties to the conflict and concrete steps towards a lived and viable two-state solution. This will help all local people more than through symbolic actions,” said Hardt.