Recognizing Palestine is an Act of True Zionism
From the Balfour Declaration to the Macron and Starmer statements: milestones in completing the Zionist vision
More than a century after Britain first endorsed a Jewish homeland in Palestine, it now stands on the brink of recognizing a Palestinian one. In 1917, the Balfour Declaration marked the first international recognition of Zionism. Now, 108 years later, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that if Netanyahu’s government does not agree to a ceasefire in Gaza and the promotion of a two-state solution, Britain will join France in recognizing a Palestinian state as early as this September.
One cannot overstate the historical significance of recognizing a Palestinian state. As permanent members of the UN Security Council and the G7, recognition by France and the United Kingdom could catalyze broader political, economic, and legal shifts across the international system.
But most importantly, as in the case of the Balfour Declaration, international recognition is the cornerstone for realizing the right to self-determination for Palestinians, which will save Israel from the destiny of a bloody binational catastrophe or an apartheid state – in both cases, the end of Zionism.
Those who, after the announcements by President Macron and Prime Minister Starmer, attacked the policy of Netanyahu’s government, which caused Macron and perhaps Starmer to take this step, were right. But in this case, for the first time, it seems that through its failures, the Netanyahu government is managing to initiate a positive move for the Palestinians and no less so for us Israelis.
The Zionist vision of a democratic nation-state for the Jewish people desperately needs a Palestinian state and will not be able to exist much longer without it. The October 7th massacre deeply shattered Israeli society, and the horrors of the Gaza war further heightened the Palestinian sense of victimhood. However, nearly two years later, we are once again returning to the starting point – there will be no future for us without a Palestinian state.
The Netanyahu government seeks to lead us to a one-state reality – its branches in the West Bank have escalated the violent displacement of the Palestinian population, while the endless war in Gaza continues without hope or purpose, creating a humanitarian tragedy of historic proportions. Netanyahu is already seeking to annex parts of the Gaza Strip, paving the way for an Israeli military administration to appease the various messianic ministers in his government.
In the face of this reality, we must embrace and encourage the efforts of our friends around the world to promote a different reality based on the only viable solution: two states for two peoples as part of a regional coalition.
For 48 years, the State of Israel has ruled over another people, leading it to the highest point of moral failure in its history. We are at a pivotal moment in the Zionist movement. In contrast to the dead-end we are being led down by a power-drunk government controlled by the most dangerous and extreme elements in Israel’s history, there must be a political alternative. One that is rooted in an agreement between two sovereign entities, leading to either full separation, a confederation, or two political entities sharing the land between the river and the sea without rigid borders – if that is mutually agreed upon.
Israeli society is wounded and damaged both by Hamas murderers and by an endless war that is exhausting and disheartening. Right now, the Israeli opposition needs to offer an alternative to acts of revenge, messianism, and dominance over another people. Instead of condemning international recognition of the Palestinian state, it should be encouraged, and we should work together with the liberal democracies in the world to promote a better reality for all of us.
In the face of efforts to replace the Zionist vision with a messianic one, we must stand with our allies across the world – not to perpetuate war, but to advance a political solution.