https://tankie.tube/videos/watch/89607907-9faa-4fe9-a161-774a6bb43838 “In recent weeks, the depressing European political discourse on Gaza - and more generally, on the right of Palestinians to self-determination - has cast a few rays of light onto a dismal situation. France, followed by the UK and Canada, formally announced its intentions to fully recognise a Palestinian state next month. The first two countries share the biggest historical responsibility for the mayhem endured by the Middle East and its people after the tragic decisions they took a century ago: from the 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement, to the 1917 Balfour Declaration, to the 1919 Treaty of Versailles and its fallout. If [they] follow through on their vow to recognise Palestine when the UN General Assembly meets next month, it is difficult to say whether this long-delayed act of justice would improve their respective political standings. Macron, whose approval ratings are low and who has little to show for his historical legacy, might be hoping to boost his popularity among the country’s large and vocal Muslim minority. Keir Starmer is also dealing with plummeting support for the Labour Party - so much so that roughly 18 percent of Britons would consider voting for a new party led by former leader Jeremy Corbyn. If his clumsy intent was to make everyone happy, Starmer may find it has the opposite effect. Powerful pro-Israel lobbying groups in the UK will not forgive him, while the growing pro-Palestinian movement will see it for what it is: a disastrously packaged gesture. Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has said as much. He responded by telling the BBC: “It’s not going to happen. There will be no state to recognise.” Indeed, the US and Israel do not consider the recognition of a Palestinian state to be a long-overdue act of justice that fulfills the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination. Rather, it is nothing more than a bargaining chip - and Israel must always have the last word” ⁠ ✍️: Opinion by Marco Carnelos ⁠ *The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:40:22 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://tankie.tube https://tankie.tube/lazy-static/avatars/3ba3ff73-a8b6-49c9-add8-9653ef090c7f.webp https://tankie.tube/videos/watch/89607907-9faa-4fe9-a161-774a6bb43838 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://tankie.tube/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.