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Israel threatens 'unilateral decisions' if EU states recognize Palestine

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 07 September 2025 5:49 PM

The Israeli foreign minister has threatened that the Europeans' recognition of Palestinian statehood will push Tel Aviv into "unilateral decisions," as international pressure is mounting on the regime over its genocidal war in the besieged Gaza Strip

Gideon Saar, during a press conference with his Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen on Sunday, said that "states like France that pushed 'recognition' of a so-called 'Palestinian state' had made a tremendous mistake."

Saar claimed that unilateral recognition of Palestine will destabilize the region and will be a present for the Hamas resistance movement.

"It will push Israel also to have unilateral decisions, and that would be a grave mistake," the Israeli foreign minister went on to say.

Saar said Israel expected "responsible states in Europe, including Denmark," to push against the move. "We still have time to prevent it."

The Israeli foreign minister refused to comment in response to the issue of West Bank annexation.

"We are having discussions on this issue with [prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu,]" he said, adding: "There will be a decision. I think I don't have to elaborate."

Israel's far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, recently announced plans to annex more than 80 percent of the occupied West Bank in a bid to block the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The Danish foreign minister, for his part, said that "Israel does not have a veto over any Danish recognition of a Palestinian state."

Rasmussen rejected "strong statements" from Israeli authorities about never allowing the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Copenhagen had signaled late last month that it would not rule out recognition of Palestinian statehood.

Long-time Western allies of Israel, including Belgium, France, the UK, Canada, and Australia, have announced plans to recognize Palestinian statehood during the upcoming UN General Assembly sessions from September 8-23. They would join 147 nations that already formally recognize Palestine.

At the end of August, the US, a key backer of Israel, denied visas to Palestinian Authority (PA) officials to prevent them from attending the UN General Assembly and block any diplomatic efforts toward Palestinian statehood.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the top Danish diplomat also expressed "concern" over recent illegal settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.

In response to the revival of the idea of a Palestinian state, Israel has rapidly accelerated settlement expansion and plans to illegally annex the occupied West Bank.

Last month, Israel approved a major settlement project, called E1, which aims to split the occupied West Bank into two parts, cutting off the northern cities of Ramallah and Nablus from Bethlehem and al-Khalil in the south and isolating East al-Quds.

The UN has repeatedly warned that continued settlement expansion threatens the viability of a two-state solution.

The international community, including the UN, considers the Israeli settlements illegal under international law.

The Israeli regime continues its genocidal campaign in Gaza, killing more civilians and wiping out entire families in relentless air and artillery strikes.

The overall death toll from the regime's genocide since October 2023 has climbed to nearly 64,370, with more than 162,360 others injured.