Amid the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, a growing number of nations, including Western allies such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and France, have announced their recognition of a Palestinian state. These moves have intensified pressure on New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, to follow suit.
But with Israel’s war on Gaza now into its second year, and the Palestinian death toll surpassing 65,000, many Palestinians, experts, and advocates argue that recognition alone is not enough. They describe it as symbolic at best and instead call for stronger international measures, such as sanctions and arms embargoes against Israel.
Meanwhile, the very notion of a two-state solution is being challenged, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to expand annexation and settlement in the West Bank in retaliation against countries that recognise Palestine.
I spoke with Dr Ritesh Shah, Senior Lecturer in Critical Studies in Education at the University of Auckland, about why the current wave of countries recognising Palestine is seen as largely symbolic, and what more meaningful steps the international community should take.
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