As a number of western countries, including the United States, weigh their options for potentially recognising a Palestinian state, the Israeli government has publicly rejected any international attempt to impose a solution.
As Palestinians, we have suffered for decades from the Israeli occupation, theft of our lands, and killing and displacement of our people. Based on our long and bitter experience with the US and its allies, we have great doubts about the seriousness of their stated intentions.
Have western governments finally noticed the elephant in the room? Have they sincerely recognised the necessity of ending the occupation and injustice, or is this whole exercise little more than a palliative to absorb the anger of public opinion?
The recent statements by western governments about recognising a Palestinian state are very broad, with no clear timetable or practical measures to force Israel’s compliance.
Palestinians cannot go back to an endless process like Oslo, which yielded no tangible results – and Israel should not be given veto power over the establishment of a Palestinian state.