LONDON: Official recognition of the State of Palestine by major Western nations could help end the war in Gaza and is a “nightmare” for Hamas, the former head of Israel’s Shin Bet spy agency said.
Britain, France, Canada and Australia are among at least 10 nations that have made such declarations of recognition in recent days. They came as Saudi Arabia and France co-hosted a landmark UN conference on Monday with the aim of galvanizing support for a two-state solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
The move met with anger from Israel, which said such action would reward Hamas for the Oct. 7 attacks in 2023.
But Ami Ayalon, who once led the domestic secret service, told The Times newspaper that the UK’s recognition of Palestine would not only help to kill off the ideology of Hamas, it is also a blow to Israeli hardliners.
“It is a very, very clear message to these two radical, violent, spoiler groups that in a way have led the region for the last 30 years,” he said.
