"The UK, Portugal, Australia and Canada formally recognised a state of Palestine on Sunday while France was expected to follow suit on Monday. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli's prime minister, called the moves an absurdity on Sunday night, and a reward for terrorism, while Israel's president said the forces of darkness would be emboldened. Opposition leaders have used similar language. Yair Lapid, who heads the centrist Yesh Atid party, described a diplomatic disaster, a bad move and a reward for terror."
"Netanyahu leads the most far-right government in Israel's history and his coalition is in part dependent on the continuing support of extremist religious Zionist factions, which have a messianic vision of Israel's destiny, and ultra-Orthodox religious parties. Neither are likely to be influenced by international outrage at the conduct of the war in Gaza, where an Israeli offensive has killed more than 65,000 and devastated the territory, or the continued expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank. Nor are supporters of the more mainstream, rightwing Likud, which Netanyahu leads."
A wave of recognitions by the UK, Portugal, Australia and Canada, with France expected to follow, elevated a Palestinian state onto the diplomatic stage and drew near-unanimous condemnation across Israel's political spectrum. Political leaders from the prime minister to opposition figures labelled the recognitions absurd and a reward for terrorism, warning of emboldened hostile forces. Analysts and former officials predicted the recognitions will not affect Israeli policymaking or deter settlement expansion amid the Gaza war that has killed more than 65,000. Netanyahu's far-right coalition, reliant on extremist religious Zionists and ultra-Orthodox parties, is likely to be strengthened in the short term.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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