U.S. Dismisses Allies’ Recognition of Palestinian State as ‘Performative’

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The United States on Sunday sharply dismissed the formal recognition of a Palestinian state by several of its closest and most important allies—including Britain, Australia, and Canada—as a "performative" and unproductive gesture, signaling a significant and deepening diplomatic rift between Washington and a growing number of Western nations over the path to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The pointed critique from the State Department underscores the increasing isolation of both the U.S. and Israel as a wave of countries moves to endorse Palestinian statehood in response to the escalating war and catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement provided on the condition of anonymity to the AFP, a U.S. State Department spokesperson made it clear that Washington views the coordinated diplomatic moves by its allies as a distraction from what it considers the core issues at hand.

"Our focus remains on serious diplomacy, not performative gestures," the spokesperson stated. "Our priorities are clear: the release of the hostages, the security of Israel, and peace and prosperity for the entire region that is only possible free from Hamas."

This starkly worded dismissal came just hours after the governments of the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia announced on Sunday that they had formally recognized a Palestinian state.

The coordinated declarations, made ahead of the annual United Nations General Assembly gathering in New York, represent a historic and dramatic shift in the foreign policy of major Western powers who have long withheld such recognition, traditionally arguing that it should only come as the result of a negotiated peace settlement with Israel.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in announcing the UK's decision, acknowledged the move was largely symbolic but emphasized its historical significance, given Britain's role in the 1917 Balfour Declaration and its subsequent mandate over Palestine.

"This step is about acknowledging the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and paving the way for a two-state solution," Starmer said in a statement. Similarly, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed their governments' decisions, framing them as a necessary step to support a negotiated two-state solution and an expression of growing international frustration with the lack of progress toward peace.

The American rebuke of these actions places the U.S. firmly in line with the defiant and unequivocal position of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Earlier on Sunday, Netanyahu had addressed his cabinet, vowing to vigorously fight the growing international push for Palestinian statehood, which he described as a fundamental threat to his country's survival.

"We will also need to fight, both at the UN and in all other arenas... against calls for a Palestinian state, which would endanger our existence and serve as an absurd reward for terrorism," Netanyahu declared.

As previously reported by Kurdistan24, Netanyahu's comments were a direct response to the expected wave of recognitions from approximately 10 nations, which also includes Portugal and is expected to include France. He had previously denounced British Prime Minister Starmer's position, accusing him of rewarding "monstrous terrorism."

The term "performative," used by the State Department, is a particularly pointed and dismissive choice of language in diplomatic parlance, suggesting that the actions of its allies are more about making a public display for a domestic or international audience than about achieving a tangible, positive outcome.

It implies that these moves are not part of "serious diplomacy" and do not contribute to the U.S.'s stated priorities of securing the release of hostages held by Hamas and ensuring Israel's long-term security.

For decades, the United States has been the primary broker in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and its long-standing policy has been that a Palestinian state can only be established through direct negotiations between the two parties.

By labeling the actions of Britain, Canada, and Australia as mere "gestures," the U.S. is signaling that it believes these unilateral recognitions undermine that process and will not alter the reality on the ground.

However, for the nations making the move, the shift in policy is a deliberate and calculated response to a peace process that has been moribund for over a decade and a conflict that has escalated to unprecedented levels of violence and suffering.

The war, now nearing its second year, was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people. The ensuing Israeli military campaign in Gaza has resulted in a devastating humanitarian crisis, with a UN-backed monitor recently declaring a state of famine in parts of the Strip.

Advocates for recognition argue that it is a necessary step to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution, which many fear is being rendered impossible by the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the ongoing conflict. They contend that formal recognition strengthens the Palestinian position under international law and provides a new impetus for a stalled political track.

The diplomatic schism, now laid bare by the U.S.'s sharp rebuke, is set to be a central and contentious theme at the UN General Assembly this week. The starkly different approaches—with the U.S. and Israel on one side, and a growing coalition of Western and other nations on the other—highlight a fundamental disagreement over how to achieve a just and lasting peace.

As the world's leaders gather in New York, the international community appears more divided than ever on the path forward, a reality that offers little hope for an imminent resolution to one of the world's most intractable conflicts.