By Abdelraouf Arnaout
JERUSALEM (AA) - Israel fears American recognition of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported Friday.
“Political sources in Israel expressed their concern about the intense activity of the American administration to promote the idea of establishing a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip under a unified government based on what is known as a renewed Palestinian authority,” according to the Maariv newspaper.
"According to American officials, the State Department is considering recognizing a Palestinian state as part of a comprehensive political initiative,” it said.
The newspaper described the step, if it were to take place, as a "political tsunami."
To this day, successive American administrations have refused to recognize a Palestinian state, linking it to Palestinians and Israelis reaching an agreement.
Washington also opposed Palestine obtaining full membership in the UN by thwarting Palestinian requests for membership through the Security Council, most recently in 2011.
But Israel has begun to notice that the Biden administration is seriously considering recognizing a Palestinian state even without Israel's approval, according to the newspaper.
“US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently ordered his office staff to prepare organized work for the possibility of American or international unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state and not through negotiations with Israel or through Israeli approval,” it said. “This issue was raised during the talks Blinken held with Israeli officials during his visit to Israel in the past two days.”
“In light of the information received from the American administration and European countries that are also partners in the step, senior officials in Israel express their concern about what they describe as the Biden administration’s fascination with the idea of establishing a Palestinian state and recognizing it unilaterally as a means of putting pressure on Israel,” it added.
Maariv quoted unnamed an Israeli political source who said: “The idea of recognizing a Palestinian state is gaining momentum and is being promoted on the ground."
It said: “It is no coincidence that a series of Western leaders recently announced their support for the establishment of a Palestinian state, and this includes leaders who were considered right-wing and most supportive of Israel, such as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni."
“The Americans continue to promote the idea of a renewed Palestinian Authority,” said the source, noting that “at the same time, the current authority in Ramallah is in the process of introducing reform, and this is consistent with the US’ demand to prove that it has already become a body that meets the definition of a renewed authority.”
"Palestinian reform includes changes within the government, changing the nature of the management of the security services, and there is talk of a new technocratic government,” the official added.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron stated days ago that his country can officially recognize a Palestinian state after a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip without waiting for the outcome of two-state solution talks that may continue for years between Israel and the Palestinians.
At the end of January, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Washington seeks to establish an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel.
Miller said President Joe Biden believes it is the best way to ensure peace and security for Israel, the Palestinians and the region as a whole.
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he told the US he is opposed to the establishment of a Palestinian state as part of any postwar scenario.
The prime minister pledged to continue a military campaign until Israel achieves a decisive victory against the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, something many analysts said is impossible.
Despite the International Court of Justice’s provisional ruling, Israel continues its onslaught on the Gaza Strip where at least 27,947 Palestinians have been killed, including 12,000 children and 8,190 women, and 67,459 injured since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas, which Tel Aviv said killed nearly 1,200 people.
The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure was damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
* Writing by Ikram Kouachi