Tehran has officially recognized the Palestinian state because international momentum is built behind the recognition of the Palestinian state.
The move, consistent with the latest UN General Assembly resolution to reaffirm Palestinian rights, shows a major shift in global diplomacy, but questions remain as to whether it constitutes a symbolic gesture or a true strategic change.
To gain insight into the impact of these developments, the Tehran Times conducted an exclusive interview with Khalid Abd al-Majid, a veteran Palestinian politician and former secretary-general of the Palestinian mass resistance front. As career political and resistance figures, he closely tracks the trajectory of Palestinian diplomacy since the Oslo era and continues to be a vocal defender for armed resistance to Israeli occupation.
In the interview, Abd Al-Majid offers a critical assessment of the recent wave of awareness, the political and diplomatic messages sent by the UN General Assembly, and the likelihood that these steps may affect US policy. He also places emphasis on the proposed two state solutions, the fragmented Arab response, the possible measures in Israel, and the future of the central role of Palestinian civil society and the diasporic community in expanding international solidarity.
Below is the full interview:
How do you assess the movements by certain Western countries, including France, Canada and the UK, that officially recognized Palestine at this particular time? Do you think of it as a strategic change or just a symbolic step?
There is no doubt that France, Canada, Australia and several other countries recognize Palestinian states and Palestinian rights as new developments and transformations in these Western countries’ policies. But it’s not a strategic change.
Yes, it’s a symbolic and hypothetical step. There are many factors that have led these countries to take this step. This was a political victory for Palestine, the fruit of the sacrifices of the Palestinian people, the path of the sacrifices of Palestinian resistance and the struggle of the Palestinian people, recognising the Palestinian state and recognizing the Palestinian state.
In your view, what political and diplomatic messages does this collective perception by many countries in the UN General Assembly convey?
The political and diplomatic messages carried out by the UN General Assembly are messages to Zionist groups in the first place, even in the US’s position to refuse to recognize Palestinian rights.
When the Oslo Agreement was signed, there was an unrealistic hope that Palestinian authority would turn into a nation, but unfortunately that was not the case.
We bet on the struggles of the people, the sacrifices of our people, the resilience of our people, but we believe that what happened at the General Assembly is important and fundamental to stop the crimes committed on the Gaza Strip, in order to suppress the Israeli story and to end the war crimes that Netayayahu has committed.
Do you think this development could affect the US position or put pressure on Washington to change its policy towards Palestine?
The new developments on the perception of the Palestinian state have undoubtedly influenced the international community within the framework of the United Nations and have influenced the policies of many countries, but as the United States is a partner of Zionist organizations, it has no significant impact on the United States.
It is clear that perceptions by the Western countries, particularly the European Union, the UK and many other countries, have sent the US a message that there is controversy over the situation, and believes that changes in US policies towards the Palestinian cause will not occur seriously unless this Zionist project is broken.
What role will these new perceptions play in reviving the proposed two state solutions?
The role these perceptions can play is the true mechanism in achieving the Palestinian goals in establishing an independent state on land with QUD (Jerusalem) as the capital.
And, since this mechanism has not existed until now, we believe that the actual implementation of the proposed solutions in these decisions requires a new balance of regional and international campaigns.
We believe that a mechanism has been established, and solutions can be implemented if there is a serious Arab and Islamic position in the face of Zionist entities and a serious position by a country that recognizes Israel. However, there is no doubt that Israel has lost many friends in the world. It has been lost at a popular level, and even at the official level.
How do you interpret the stances of some Arab countries on these developments?
During the war with Gaza (October 2023), Arab countries have taken a position that created barriers between Arab countries and the Arab League, and there is no real coordination between these countries to support political approaches that support the Palestinian cause or serious positions on Palestinian rights and the international recognition of the Palestinian state.
There is still a connection between many countries, particularly Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Türkiye. In addition to the status of several countries during the Arab League’s conference and the conference of Islamic Cooperative Organizations (OICs), there is no practical mechanism.
Many Arab countries began to take risks to Israeli policies, as Arab countries began to be threatened after Doha attacked to assassinate Hamas leaders.
Practical measures are needed, such as stopping normalization (with Israel) or canceling agreements signed with Zionist entities. It requires clear and explicit expression for Palestinian rights, and supports resistance to occupation.
What kind of response can we expect from Israel to this wave of international recognition? Could this lead to political or ground escalation?
Israel hopes to take several steps to combat these international recognition, including annexing parts of the West Bank and taking more action against Palestinian authorities. It also seeks to expand the war and crime of the Gaza Strip, push its citizens south, and put more pressure on the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip.
The war in the Gaza Strip was a critical factor in determining the situation of Israeli projects in the Middle East and Regions, as Netanyahu proposed a vision for Israel in the New Middle East or Israeli-American projects. The ongoing war in Gaza therefore determines the current flow of the situation in the Middle East.
Netanyahu firmly believes he will not be able to achieve his goal in the fight against Gaza, but he expects resistance and military escalations to the country, including continued escalations in Lebanon and continued artillery fire in Lebanon.
This could escalate further in contrast to inciting and working from within or outside the Islamic Republic of Iran, or secret operations or assassinations, and continuing air attacks on Yemen, the great supporter of Palestinians.
In light of these developments, what are the current priorities of Palestinian leaders?
The official Palestinian leaders have put their papers into the hands of the US and Arab normalization systems.
However, the leadership of the Palestinian resistance has realized these dimensions of political development, and is well aware that Zionist enemies can only be repelled by force, and it continues to resist.
Resistance will carry out heroic operations in the Gaza Strip and as Netanyahu has failed over the past two years, he will fail in the final chapter of the war in the Gaza Strip and regions.
How do civil society organisations and the Palestinian diaspora view them in promoting international recognition in Palestine?
The movements of global civil society organisations, immigration, diaspora and pro-Palestinians have a major impact on what we have seen over the past two years. Support in all forms of large, popular marches, demonstrations, protests and other forms of support, especially in Western countries, is extremely important in campaigns that recognize the Palestinian state.
Therefore, we are betting on the role of civil society organizations. We consider the children of our people, our Arabs and Islamic Ummah immigrant children, to be the driving force behind these popular activities and protests in the Western countries.
International recognition of Palestinian rights is expanding, and channels of support from millions of people around the world are expanding.
These activities are related to the internal circumstances of these Western countries that demand human rights and democracy, and many of these people have recently had to take steps to recognize the Palestinian state.