Ireland, Spain, and Norway Reward Hamas Terrorism
Now Hamas can claim a victory.
By Hugh Fitzgerald
The three most anti-Israel countries in Europe — Ireland, Spain, and Norway — that have announced their recognition of the “State of Palestine” have no idea what territories this “state” will contain, nor whether it will be demilitarized, nor what will be its demographic composition. Will the 500,000 Israelis in the West Bank be allowed to remain? No one has raised those uncomfortable details with them. But one thing is certain: the Palestinians deserve a “state” right now, because they are being subject to such punishing blows in Gaza by the IDF. We must overlook the fact that Israel is fighting a war it did not want and did not start. We must forget the atrocities carried out by Hamas on October 7. These three countries are convinced that this is the time to rally round the Palestinians, including Hamas, which is in danger of being dismantled by the IDF.
More on this strange moral calculus is discussed in a Jerusalem Post editorial here: “Hamas should not be rewarded for terrorism with a Palestinian state – editorial,” Jerusalem Post, May 23, 2024:
…The horrific events of October 7 remain etched in our collective memory. Hamas, a recognized terrorist organization, launched an unprecedented attack on Israel. In this brutal onslaught, 1,200 innocent people lost their lives, including women and children. Victims were not only killed and abducted; they were also subjected to heinous acts of violence. The images and reports of these atrocities have shocked the world, painting a grim picture of the true nature of Hamas and its affiliates. To respond to this carnage by recognizing “Palestine” as a state is an affront to justice and human decency.
Recognition of statehood is not merely a diplomatic gesture; it carries profound symbolic and practical implications. By recognizing Palestine now, Ireland, Norway, and Spain are effectively sending a message that the international community is willing to overlook or even excuse acts of terror when perpetrated against Israelis. This undermines the moral fabric of international law, which should hold all actors accountable for such egregious human rights violations….
The decisions by Ireland, Norway, and Spain to recognize Palestine as a state at this juncture are deeply misguided. They disregard the harsh realities of recent events and reward a strategy of terror. True peace can only be achieved through mutual recognition, security, and sincere negotiations – not through unilateral gestures that embolden extremists.
Ireland, Spain, and Norway have chosen this moment to recognize the “state of Palestine.” This rewards Hamas’s terrorism, provides every incentive for the terror group to continue with its tactics, and undermines the only conceivable way to peace: direct negotiations between the parties — Israel and those Palestinians genuinely interested in peace. Now Hamas can claim a victory for having obtained recognition of the “state of Palestine” by Norway, Spain, and Ireland. Rewarding Hamas is not what those countries wanted, but it’s what, in their maladroit and malevolent way, they have managed to achieve.