July 18, 2024 — New York, NY
Yesterday’s passing of a symbolic resolution in the Israeli Knesset – with more than a third of the body absent – reflects the Israeli people’s understandable fear and deep skepticism of a Palestinian state in the aftermath of October 7, the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust in which more than 1,200 people were murdered and 240 taken hostage, 120 of whom remain in Hamas captivity. Israelis are rightly concerned that Hamas or another terrorist movement could at some point take over the Palestinian Authority, and that the realities of October 7 could repeat.
The resolution should not be misinterpreted as the Israeli people’s rejection of peace with their Palestinian neighbors. It must be understood in the context of this moment. This opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state at this time shows how much work will be necessary to find a way forward in the region. Israelis yearn for peace and have sacrificed for it – but they know it cannot be achieved without a committed, effective partner. Until Hamas is vanquished and Palestinian leaders pursue a pragmatic course that shuns terrorism and builds trust, the path to peace, including any version of Palestinian statehood, will be blocked.
As stated in AJC’s Ten Principles on the Israeli-Hamas War and the Path to Peace, the path to Palestinian statehood must be clearly defined, with international recognition following – not preceding – the achievement of milestones agreed upon by the two parties, including the abandonment of educational curricula and civic practices that delegitimize the other, or payment structures that reward and incentivize “martyrdom”; the demonstration of effective governance in the West Bank and Gaza; steps to establish a functioning, self-sustaining Palestinian economy; and provisions to assure freedom of operation of Israeli security forces as needed.
But there can be no Palestinian state unless and until the Palestinian narrative acknowledges that the modern Jewish state of Israel is here to stay.
Even as we understand that for Israelis and Palestinians alike peace feels out of reach, AJC continues to support efforts toward a better future for both peoples and the entire region.
AJC is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. With headquarters in New York, 25 regional offices across the United States, 15 overseas posts, as well as partnerships with 38 Jewish community organizations worldwide, AJC’s mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world. For more, please visit www.ajc.org.
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