TEHRAN- As international momentum builds up behind the recognition of the Palestinian State, several Western countries—France, Canada, Britain - have officially recognized the Palestine State.

The move, which coincides with the latest UN General Assembly resolution reaffirming Palestinian rights, marks a significant shift in global diplomacy, though questions remain over whether it constitutes a symbolic gesture or a genuine strategic transformation.

To gain deeper insight into the implications of these developments, the Tehran Times conducted an exclusive interview with Khalid Abd al-Majid, a veteran Palestinian politician and former Secretary-General of the Palestinian Popular Resistance Front. As a career political and resistance figure, he has closely followed the trajectory of Palestinian diplomacy since the Oslo era, while remaining a vocal advocate for armed resistance against the Israeli occupation.

In the interview Abd al-Majid provides a critical assessment of the recent wave of recognitions, the political and diplomatic messages sent by the UN General Assembly, and the extent to which these steps may influence U.S. policy. He also weighs in on the future of the proposed two-state solution, the fragmented Arab response, Israel’s likely countermeasures, and the central role of Palestinian civil society and diaspora communities in broadening international solidarity.

Below is the full text of the interview:

How do you assess the moves by certain Western countries, including France, Canada, and Britain, who officially recognized the State of Palestine at this particular time? Do you see it as a strategic shift or merely a symbolic step?

There is no doubt that France, Canada, Australia and some other countries have recognized the State of Palestine and the Palestinian rights as a new development and a transformation in the policy of these Western countries. But it is not a strategic transformation.

Yes, it is a symbolic and even a hypothetical step. There are many factors that led these countries to take this step. This is a political victory for Palestine and it is the fruit of the sacrifices of the Palestinian people, the sacrifices of the Palestinian resistance and the path of the Palestinian national struggle that led these countries to recognize the State of Palestine, as well as the internal developments in each country in response to the humanitarian crisis that is taking place in Palestine.

In your view, what political and diplomatic messages does this collective recognition by a number of countries at the UN General Assembly carry? 

The political and diplomatic messages that the United Nations General Assembly carried out are messages to the Zionist entity in the first place, and even to the American position that refuses to recognize the Palestinian rights. 

When the Oslo Accords were signed, there was an unrealistic hope that the Palestinian Authority would turn into a state, but unfortunately it did not.

We are betting on the struggles of our people, on the sacrifices of our people, on the resilience of our people, but we believe that what happened in the General Assembly is important and fundamental in order to stop the crimes committed in the Gaza Strip, in order to suppress the Israeli narrative, and in order to end the war crimes committed by Netanyahu.

Do you believe this development could affect the U.S. position or put pressure on Washington to change its policy toward Palestine? 

The new development in regard the recognition of the Palestinian State is undoubtedly affecting the international community within the framework of the United Nations and affecting the policies of many countries, but it does not greatly affect the United States because the United States is a partner of the Zionist entity.

It is clear that the recognition by the Western countries, especially the European Union countries, Britain and many other countries sent a message to the United States that there is a dispute about this situation and we believe that the change of the policy of the United States towards the Palestinian cause will not happen seriously unless this Zionist project is broken.

What role could these new recognitions play in reviving the proposed two-state solution? 
The role that these recognitions can play is a real mechanism in achieving the goals of the Palestinian people in establishing an independent state on their lands with Quds (Jerusalem) as its capital.

And this mechanism has not existed until now, and therefore we believe that the practical implementation of the proposed solution in these decisions requires a new balance of regional and international campaigns.

We believe that the solution can be implemented if the mechanism is established and there would be s a serious Arab and Islamic position in taking practical steps in the face of the Zionist entity and a serious position by the countries that have recognized Israel. But there is no doubt that Israel has lost many of its friends in the world. It has lost at popular level and even at official level. 

How do you interpret the stance of some Arab states toward these developments? 

During the war on Gaza (since October 2023), Arab countries have taken a position that has created a barrier between Arab countries and the Arab League, and there is no real coordination between these countries to support any political approach that would support the Palestinian cause or even a serious position on the international recognition of the Palestinian rights and the Palestinian State.

There are still connections between a number of countries, especially Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey, in addition to the position of some countries during the Arab League meetings and during the meetings of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), but there is no practical mechanism.

After the attack on Doha to assassinate the Hamas leaders, a number of Arab countries began to take risks in their Israel policy by strongly reacting to Netanyahu's “Greater Israel” vision as Arab countries began to feel threatened.

There is a need for practical steps such as stopping the normalization (with Israel) or canceling the agreements that have been signed with the Zionist entity. There is a need for clear and explicit expression for the rights of the Palestinian people and support the resistance against the occupation.

What response can be expected from Israel to this wave of international recognitions? Could this lead to political or on-the-ground escalation?

I expect that Israel will take several steps to confront these international recognitions, such as annexing some parts of the West Bank and to take more actions against the Palestinian Authority. In addition, it will escalate the war and crimes in the Gaza Strip and push the citizens to the South, in an attempt to isolate them and to put more pressure on the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Since the war in the Gaza Strip is a decisive factor in determining the situation in the Middle East and the Israeli project in the region, and what Netanyahu has proposed about the Greater Israeli vision or the Israeli-American project in the new Middle East. Therefore, the ongoing war in Gaza will determine the course of the situation in the Middle East.

We firmly believe that Netanyahu cannot achieve his goals in the battle against Gaza, but we expect that there will be a military escalation towards the resistance forces and countries in the resistance front, such as the continuation of the escalation in Lebanon and the continuation of the shelling in Lebanon.

This can escalate further, as opposed to the incitement of the Iranian Islamic Republic and the work from inside or outside, or secret operations or assassinations, and the continuation of the air attacks on Yemen, which is a great supporter of Palestine.

In light of these developments, what are the current priorities of the Palestinian leadership? 

The official Palestinian leadership puts its papers in the hands of the United States and the Arab normalization systems.

However, the leadership of the Palestinian resistance movement realizes the dimensions of these political developments, and knows well that the Zionist enemy can only be repelled by force, and it continues to resist.

The resistance carries out heroic operations in the Gaza Strip, and as Netanyahu has failed in the past two years, he will fail in the last chapter of the war in the Gaza Strip and in the region, God willing. 

How do you view the role that civil society organizations and the Palestinian diaspora in driving international recognition of the State of Palestine?

What is played by the civil society organizations, immigrants, diaspora and pro-Palestine movements in the world has a great impact on what we have witnessed in the past two years. Massive popular marches, demonstrations, protests and all other forms of support, especially in Western countries, are very important in the campaign of recognizing the State of Palestine.

Therefore, we are betting on the role of the civil society organizations. We consider that the children of our people, the immigrant children of our Arab and Islamic Ummah are the driving force for these popular activities and protests in Western countries.

The international recognition of the Palestinian rights is expanding, and the channels of support from millions of people around the world are expanding.

These activities are linked to the internal situation in these Western countries that were demanding human rights and democracy, and many of these people are carrying out and linking their activities to their internal situation against the policies of these governments, which have recently had to take steps to recognize the Palestinian state.