Pic Courtesy: Common Dreams
By Attorney Ziyaad Ebrahim Patel
International Human Rights Lawyer and Lawfare Advocate
The conscionable world have been aware of the ongoing reality of the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, the continued belligerent occupation of the West Bank and thousands of lives lost in the middle east region over the last 24 months, as Israel continues the perpetration of egregious crimes in complete violation of international law and humanitarian law.
It is trite that Western countries have for decades and more supported, aided and abetted the impunity, Israel unleashes through the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) on predominantly a civilian population in Gaza, where everything and anyone has become a terror target.
A recent UN report confirms the case that South Africa had already put at the International Court of Justice (the ‘ICJ’), when provisional measures were sought in the protection of rights of a civilian population by invoking the genocide convention. The apex court found the commission of plausible genocide in Gaza by Israeli state actors and agents. Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence Minister Yoav Galant are already sought after at the International Criminal Court where warrants of arrests have already been issued.
Recently, western countries like France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Portugal and Australia have after witnessing for months the toll of death and destruction unleashed on the people of Gaza, shifted their foreign policy for the formal recognition of a Palestinian state. This comes at the behest of the Palestinian Authority and also countries like Saudi Arabia.
Whilst on the face of witnessing what appears to be a momentous occasion at the United Nations General Assembly, the intent behind such policy shifts can only be unmasked by the text in their speeches by some of these leaders, who ominously continue to spread the Zionist narrative.
So, what have these same leaders declared in public, apart from already a failed two state solution by Israel’s doing in the conflict?
The President of France, Emmanuel Macron made a few insidious remarks at the UN General Assembly, making it clear that there is no space at the table for Hamas which is a globally recognised, political and resistance revolutionary movement – a movement whose proven track record resists colonial, apartheid and belligerent occupation and advocates the attainment for the Palestinian right to self-determination.
The absurdity of the remarks by the French President cheered on by those represented in the UN Chamber by the Palestinian Authority (PA) is not surprising.
Macron clearly states: “Hamas was vanquished on the military front as WE NEUTRALISED ITS LEADERS AND DECISION MAKERS. It must also be vanquished politically to be truly dismantled”.
An enquiry should be launched into the complicity of Macron’s government in neutralising and targeting Hamas’ political leaders in Gaza, for instance Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination in Tehran as well as the targeting of other political leaders in Gaza and the middle eastern region in collaboration with Israeli / US intelligence and state agencies.
Macron’s speech at the UN illustrates the extent of betrayal by the Palestinian Authority to the Palestinian people as Macron was clearly cheered on.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer made the following remarks:
“Hamas is a brutal terror organisation. This solution is not a reward for Hamas. Because it means Hamas can have no future. No role in government. No role in security. We have already proscribed and sanctioned Hamas. And we will go further – I have directed work to sanction other Hamas figures in the coming weeks”.
The resistance of Hamas against this genocide can never be excluded from any future political constitution of a Palestinian state.
Starmer’s comments are shocking and strips the revolutionary identity whereby Hamas is also a national liberation movement of the Palestinian people. He obstinately writes in the Israeli media outlet Ynet what Britain’s recognition of a Palestinian state means.
The recent spectacle at the United Nations General Assembly is antithetical to the protection of rights as envisaged in the UN Charter, theatre for the recognition of a Bantustan Palestinian State supported by the Palestinian Authority.
It was a symbolic gesture by Israel’s friends with meaningless rights and no security to Palestinians, whilst Israel the historic aggressor and perpetrator of genocide and violator of human rights as a pariah state will not be disarmed nor dismantled.
Israel will continue to be funded with conventional and nuclear armament without consequences by the United States, with merely some lip service of funding cuts by these countries. The status quo to subjugate the inalienable rights of Palestinians will remain unchanged.
Starmer’s remarks captured on X in Israeli media outlet Ynet, of UK foreign policy is blatantly offensive to the UN Charter and Palestinians’ inalienable right to security, self-defence and self-determination with recognition of the people’s right to armed struggle in achieving such rights to self- determination , which is clearly entrenched in international law.
I refer to the UN Resolution on the Importance of the universal realization of the right of peoples
to self-determination, which Reaffirms the legitimacy of the struggle of peoples for independence, territorial integrity, national unity and liberation from colonial domination, apartheid and foreign occupation by all available means, including armed struggle.
Israel is captured politically by an ultra-right ethnocratic, racist and fascist regime of Israeli leaders who have accelerated ethnic cleansing and usurped unlawfully more land of Palestine for any sustainable prospect of a two-state solution.
To put into context the so-called deal, where the Palestinian Authority represented by Mahmoud Abbas shall be the recognised representative of the Palestinian people and the symbolic Palestinian state, falls foul of the efforts of those representative of the oppressed – those who have actively and by all means within their capacity and resources resisted Israeli occupation in Gaza and in the West Bank.
It is similar to associating the former Bantustan leaders in apartheid South Africa, who would be the future representatives of the people of South Africa, with the exclusion of the ilk of leaders, such as Nelson Mandela or Oliver Tambo, veterans of the armed struggle in the African National Congress (ANC) and other South African leaders in the anti-apartheid resistance movements.
The UK PM, Keir Starmer reiterates what Israeli leaders have previously said – Palestine will not control its own airspace, will be a completely demilitarized zone or not even have its own military army or air force. Interestingly the present ethnocratic Israeli regime fuelled by racist Zionist policies conducting a present genocide continues to maintain its military hegemony over an oppressed people without consequences and with utter impunity. This is despite the murder of tens of thousands of innocent Palestinian children and civilians in the genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity that we are witnessing in real time livestreamed.
If a Palestinian state is recognized, it clearly does not mean a Palestinian state on sustainable territory where its borders and sovereignty would be respected.
Coming back to the 1967 delineated borders, the question must be asked, why have these countries taken decades to recognise a Palestinian State? Is it in part appeasement of their conscience where their democratic values are no longer tenable with Netanyahu’s bloodthirst to wipe every Palestinian man, women and child off the planet or maim and cripple the next generation of Palestinians?
The real question that must be interrogated is to why these States and their predecessors have frustrated for decades a sustainable two state solution. Israel has continued its flagrant violation of international law and is in violation of UNSC 2334, whereby unlawful expansion of settlements continues unabated on what now constitutes only 22% of historic Palestine where Palestinians were supposed to build a State.
Netanyahu has categorically stated that his regime’s policy, which is in contradiction of international law, there will be no two-state solution which in effect is already an unjust solution to the Palestinian right to self-determination.
Are Palestinian lives so cheap?
Palestinians must accept this ‘gauntlet’ orchestrated by the PA, known for its collaboration with Israeli security and intelligence. These same countries recognizing the State of Palestine are allies of Israel who allow Israel to exist as a rogue pariah state despite numerous violations under international law and humanitarian law.
Genocide is now trite with the latest UN report on the back of multiple UN and Rights reports and the apex court of the ICJ having imposed the implementation of provisional measures. Thousands of lives have perished in Gaza including medical workers, doctors and journalists. The West Bank continues to be stifled under belligerent IDF military occupation.
The time has long passed, and Palestinians are entitled to the right of return , the restitution of the whole of their land pre-1948 in historic Palestine. The blood of Palestinians and civilians murdered by the IDF in the region does not permit a frugal penance in recognition of a Bantustan, which continues to strip Palestinians of their fundamental human rights to life, dignity safety and security.
Only historical Palestine ONE STATE SOLUTION must be the realisable objective of the Palestinian people for attainable peace with justice.
[1] Emmanuel Macron, President of France in joint organised session arranged by France and Saudi Arabia at the United Nations General Assembly – 22 September 2025
[2] PM statement on the recognition of Palestine: 21 September 2025 – GOV.UK, K. Starmer
[4] UN General Assembly Resolution 45/130 – Importance of the universal realization of the right of peoples
to self-determination and of the speedy granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples for the effective guarantee and observance of human rights
[5] Refer also to UN Resolution 194