On recognizing the State of Palestine – Gershon Baskin

France and the UK are searching for the appropriate way to recognize the State of Palestine without having the government of Netanyahu getting angry and doing something vengeful against two countries that are strong allies of Israel.

It is time for France and the UK and all other UN member states that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to do so – especially if they talk about the two states solution. How can you talk about two states but only recognize one of them?

It is time to “put up or shut up!”. The advice that I have given French and British leaders is to go ahead and recognize the State of Palestine but at the same time call for all 193 Member States of the United Nations to recognize the State of Israel. 147 UN Member states recognize Palestine and 164 recognize Israel.

If countries support the two states solution they need to recognize both states now.
One European leader a couple of years ago said to me:

“OK we could recognize Palestine, but tell me what are the borders of Palestine?”

My answer was:

“You recognize Israel, tell me what are the borders of Israel. When you know the borders of Israel, you will know the borders of Palestine. Israel’s borders according to you are not yet determined, but that never stopped you from recognizing Israel. So recognize Palestine now or stop talking about the two states solution”

Categories: Insights

Gershon Baskin

Gershon Baskin is one of the most recognizable names in the Middle East Peace process. He is a political and social entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to peace between Israel and its neighbors. His dedication to creating a culture of peace and environmental awareness, coupled with his impeccable integrity, has earned him the trust of the leaders of all sides of the century old conflict. Few people have such far-reaching and positive impacts on promoting peace, security, prosperity and bi-national relationships. Gershon is an advisor to Israeli, Palestinian and International Prime Ministers on the Middle East Peace Process and the founder and director of IPCRI, the Israeli-Palestinian Public Policy Institute. He was the initiator and negotiator of the secret back channel between Israel and Hamas for the release of 1,027 prisoners – mainly Palestinians and Arab-Israelis of which 280 were sentenced to life in prison, including Yahya Sinwar, the current Palestinian leader of the Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The prisoners were imprisoned for planning and perpetrating various attacks against Jewish targets that resulted in the killing of 569 Israelis in exchange for one Israeli soldier, Gilad Schalit. Gershon is actively involved in research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, environmental security, political strategy, peace education, economics, culture and in the development of affordable solar projects with the goal of providing clean electricity for 50 million people by 2020. He is a founding member of Kol Ezraheiha-Kol Muwanteneiha (All of the Citizens) political party in Israel. He is now directing The Holy Land Bond and is the Middle East Director for ICO – International Communities Organization - a UK based NGO working in conflict zones with failed peace processes.