EDITORIAL: Palestinian recognition makes world less safe

To recognise a state of Palestine now is a terrible mistake.

It rewards the terrorist actions of Hamas jihadists and will do nothing to help the plight of suffering Gazans.

Australians have watched in horror at the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Images of malnourished children in particular have moved anguished citizens to demand action.

On Monday, Anthony Albanese responded to that domestic pressure, declaring Australia would follow France and the UK in recognising Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly in September.

It was, the Prime Minister said, “humanity’s best hope to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East”.

Mr Albanese and his Foreign Minister Penny Wong have both been long-time supporters of Palestinian statehood. There is no doubt they are motivated in this decision chiefly by a desire to end the abominable suffering in Gaza.

But this will not achieve that goal. It serves only to further prolong the conflict which has already dragged on and claimed far too many civilians lives.

Hamas jihadists have played the perfect game.

They knew that in perpetrating a bloody and public atrocity as they did October 7, 2023, Israel would respond with immediate, furious force.

They knew that would come at the cost of many thousands of civilian lives.

Hamas, its leaders mostly safely outside Gaza, was happy to make unwilling martyrs of the Palestinian population in the pursuit of its depraved jihad.

Its leaders know they have no hope of winning a war against Israel on the battlefield. This is a public relations war, and victory for Hamas can only be won in the lounge rooms of Western nations, by turning international opinion against Israel.

Hamas has no intention of ever laying down its arms.

That is what makes this conflict different from others which have been fought and resolved. The idea that Hamas will give up their ambitions is pure fantasy.

Hamas’ objective is not the creation of a Palestinian state.

Hamas’ raison d’etre is the destruction of Israel.

The recognition of Palestine by the international community will do nothing to deter Hamas from that goal.

Mr Albanese says the decision was made to recognise Palestinian statehood following assurances from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that a sovereign Palestine would demilitarise and would continue to recognise Israel’s right to exist.

Crucially, Mr Albanese said, Mr Abbas had pledged there would be no role for Hamas in a future Palestinian state.

This is delusion.

The Palestinian Authority does not have control over Hamas.

The only way to rid the world of Hamas jihadists and free Palestinians from its toxic influence is through its destruction.

And Israel is the only nation which is showing the appetite to do it.

Responsibility for the editorial comment is taken by Editor-in-Chief Christopher Dore.