MK Ayman Odeh announced Sunday that on the opening day of the Knesset’s winter session, he will submit a bill calling for Israel’s official recognition of a Palestinian state, in response to Australia, Canada, and the UK recognizing one.
“I welcome the decision of the UK, Australia, and Canada to recognize a Palestinian state," he wrote, adding that the Palestinian people are no better or worse than anyone else, but nevertheless deserve the right to self-determination.
"On the first day of the winter session, I will place on the Knesset table a bill to recognize a Palestinian state. Because there are two people here, and the State of Israel must also recognize this simple fact.”
MK Aida Touma-Sliman, also from the Hadash-Ta’al Party, told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday that the recognition of a Palestinian state by “Western powers is an important step, but it is not enough, too little too late.”
Touma-Sliman said that Palestinian state recognition “must be the beginning of a serious pressure campaign on Israel and its backers in the White House, including economic measures and arms embargoes."
“The world knows that the destruction of Gaza must end and a Palestinian state must be established alongside Israel. It is time for action,” she said.
UK, Canada, Australia recognize Palestinian state
This came after the UK, Canada, and Australia all announced their official recognition of a Palestinian state in a coordinated effort on Sunday, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly on Monday.
Although all three stated their intentions earlier in the summer, the timing – a day ahead of the UNGA conference – has come as a surprise. It also means that, ahead of the UNGA, two G7 countries have now recognized a state of Palestine.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office called the decisions “an absurd reward for terrorism,” adding, “the international community will hear from us on this matter in the coming days.”
Mathilda Heller contributed to this report.