Israeli figures urge EU and UK to recognise Palestinian state for regional peace: Analysis

A group of prominent Israeli public

figures

has sent a letter to European Union countries and the United Kingdom asking them to immediately recognize a Palestinian

state

. The signatories include academics, former ambassadors, a former vice president of the Knesset and a former attorney general. The letter says in part. The recognition of a Palestinian State is a question of principles and historical justice. It is also a way to bring back a chance for tranquility in this war-torn region. There is no better way to restore faith in diplomacy than to recognize in the State of Palestine that we now unite.

We now from Tel Aviv are one of the signatories of that letter Alon Leel is former director of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and former ambassador to South Africa Alon, thank you for joining us, briefly explain to us why you signed this letter Israel faces a historic crossroads in the moment when we have to follow the military path or the diplomatic path and if we go the military path we will continue the war in Rafa with all the implications for Israel, including the international status of Israel, and if we follow the diplomatic path we have an agreement regarding the hostages and we will be able to further expand our relations in the Middle East and perhaps regain international status.

I belong to the people who think that we should now go down the diplomatic path and address the day after the war and I. There are not a majority of people who feel that this is the way to go; most want to go the military route and I think we think that the only way to convince the Israeli government to take the diplomatic route is for the world not to go. to address the two-

state

idea about the idea of ​​a Palestinian state and I think what happened on Friday at the UN assembly and what could happen later this month with several countries in Europe that are probably going to recognize Palestine is important to Make it clear to the Israeli government and to the Israeli public, okay, this is the way forward, so as a reminder to our viewers, because you mentioned that in the general assembly there was a vote, uh, in the General Assembly of the United Nations, the world where all the countries of the world are.

They represented almost everyone and voted overwhelmingly to say that Palestine qualifies for recognition as a member state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems convinced that the solution is military. Where do you think that leads? See if the army will go. In some ways, I am very concerned that, in addition to high casualties and further destruction, we will lose some of our friends. Almost allies in the Middle East. Our relations with Egypt will become even more complicated. We could lose Jordan and as a result of Yes we could lose some of our international standing, no, who cares about that?

Do you care about international standing? Do alliances matter to you? Keep sending messages that if Israel needs to go it alone, they will. I think it's a very good question because I think Netan. He is one of the Israeli politicians who knows the world and knows how interconnected Israel is with the world, but many of the politicians leading Israel today are not aware of the importance of Israel's global position and many of them did not visit others. countries. they don't speak other languages ​​and simply see the world as anti-Semitic by definition, no matter what Israel does.

I think Netanyahu has the ability to see it differently, but he still has the political problem that if he doesn't follow the military path, they will be accused of losing the war. In talking about Israel's international standing and potentially losing support from Jordan, I just received this information coming out of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, they are making the announcement that Egypt now intends to officially intervene to support the lawsuit filed by South Africa against Israel before the ICJ, so just as a reminder to our viewers, Israel is on trial in what is known as the highest court in the world for genocide.

This case was brought by South Africa. There has been a provisional ruling from the ICJ saying that genocide is potentially occurring in Gaza right now and that Israel needs to take steps to prevent genocide from occurring. What is happening now is that Egypt says it will join this court case and is supporting the South African court case, let me see what else I find in this announcement. This comes in light of the increasing severity and scope of Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip. We mean that Egypt asks Israel to fulfill its obligations as an occupying power.

I'm coming back to you, so I'm getting this information. I was talking about Israel losing its international standing. Egypt is an important country only for Israel, it is one of the two Arab countries that has one of the first Arab countries that has a

peace

treaty. I know there's been the Abraham Accord since then, but Egypt and Jordan, two important countries, now Egypt says, well, we're going to support South Africa in its genocide case against Israel. I have not heard that Egypt has such an intention. no, I know we're breaking this news, this was just announced, yeah, okay, so it's new to me too and if this happens, it's an incredible diplomatic coup for Israel.

Egypt is the cornerstone of our position in the Middle East. Egypt, it starts and everything we have on top of it, including Jordan and then the Emirates and Morocco, and we have more connections in the middle E, comes as a result of what Egypt did 40 years ago, so if Egypt now joins South Africa and in The claim before the international court of justice in H is a true diplomatic coup. Israel will have to take this very seriously and this is what I warn about. I think it is coming now from several directions and Israel has to look at the world and has to listen to the world, not only to the Israeli public opinion that is now calling for revenge, we have to look at the bigger picture in The Wider, a long-term image of security.

Israel's term, not only in the coming weeks in Gaza, yes, Alon leel, again you are one of the signatories of the letter we were talking about a few minutes ago asking the EU member states and the United Kingdom to recognize the State of Palestine without delay. Thank you very much for joining us on the program. this time thank you make sure to subscribe to our channel to receive the latest news from aler