TEHRAN – France, Germany and Britain are willing to join 146 countries in recognizing Palestine as a state, subject to major concessions from Iran, including recognition of Israel and an end to support for resistance groups in Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria, according to information obtained by the Tehran Times.
The initiative, proposed by Paris and supported by London and Berlin, aims to provide additional protections for Israel but makes no provisions to protect Palestinians from Israel's apartheid policies in the occupied territories, massacres in Gaza, mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners, or the proliferation of illegal settlements in the West Bank.
If implemented, the proposal would bring the three European countries in line with Norway, Ireland and Spain, which earlier this year became the latest European countries to recognize Palestine as a state. The decision in May angered the Israeli regime but did not halt the continuing suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the occupied territories.
According to information gathered by the Tehran Times, White House officials have voiced their support for the European plan, viewing it as an extension of the 2020 Abraham Accords, which led to recognition of Israeli sovereignty over Palestinian territories by some Arab and African countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. Saudi Arabia was on the verge of joining the accords before the latest Israeli attacks on Gaza began.
As data collected by the Tehran Times shows, some European and US critics warn that even if Iran were to recognize Israel and distance itself from the resistance, it would not provide the security it desires. Instead, the move would strengthen the regime's illegal activities and hinder the prospects for a real peace process. They emphasize that the Abraham Accords did not prevent the success of Hamas' operation on October 7, in which Palestinian fighters seized Israeli settlements for several hours and forced some Israelis into Gaza.
Sources told the Tehran Times that opponents of the plan believe Western leaders should recognise and respect the rights of the Palestinians, instead of relying on regional countries to strengthen Israel's power.
The Tehran Times understands that the initiative is considered unrealistic and ineffective, and that some in Europe and the United States believe it is highly unlikely that Iran will accede to European demands. But the leaders of France, Germany and Britain will now push for the initiative as a way of vindicating themselves after months of intense criticism over their support for Israel's devastating operation in Gaza.
The Tehran Times reported that Europe intends to shift the blame for the Gaza crisis onto Iran after Tehran rejected the proposal, saying the European proposed recognition of Palestine is not a genuine attempt at peace but a calculated move to shift the blame onto Iran.
Over the past 10 months, more than 40,000 Palestinians have died as a direct result of Israeli military attacks on the besieged enclave, and war experts say at least 100,000 more will likely die as Gaza's medical centers have been completely destroyed and there are dire shortages of food, clean water and medicine.
