Germany Rejects Palestine Recognition Amid Growing International Support

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine has intensified international calls for recognition of a Palestinian state, with the Palestinian Foreign Ministry urging countries to base their relations with Israel on international law and expedite recognition to preserve the two-state solution. U.S. political figures like Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss advocate for official U.S. recognition of Palestine and a halt to offensive arms sales to Israel, highlighting the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where over 62,000 Palestinians have died since October 2023. Contrarily, the German government maintains that recognizing Palestine at this stage could undermine efforts toward a negotiated two-state solution, emphasizing that such recognition should come only after a peace agreement. Former German Security Conference chairman Christoph Heusgen has publicly urged Germany to recognize Palestine as a strong gesture of solidarity, criticizing Israeli policies and warning against Israel becoming an apartheid state. Meanwhile, several countries including France, Australia, Canada, and the UK have announced intentions to recognize Palestine at the upcoming U.N. General Assembly, eliciting sharp responses from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The international community remains divided on how best to address the conflict while balancing diplomatic relations and humanitarian concerns.