Meloni: Paper recognition of Palestine risks false sense of resolution

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has cautioned against recognising the State of Palestine before it is actually established, warning that such a move could create the illusion of a resolution while leaving the core conflict unresolved.

“I am very much in favour of the State of Palestine, but I am not in favour of recognising it prior to establishing it. If something that doesn’t exist is recognised on paper, the problem could appear to be solved when it isn’t,” she told Italian media, as per Reuters.

Her remarks come amid growing debate in Europe over whether to formally recognise Palestinian statehood ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in September. France’s decision to proceed with recognition has already drawn sharp criticism from both Israel and the United States, especially in the context of the ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

On July 25, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani echoed Meloni’s cautious stance, stating that any recognition of Palestine must coincide with a reciprocal recognition of Israel by a newly established Palestinian authority.

Germany has also taken a cautious approach. A spokesperson for the German government said Berlin does not plan to recognise a Palestinian state in the near future. The official emphasised that Germany’s immediate priority is to make “long-overdue progress” toward a comprehensive two-state solution.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron’s pledge to announce France’s formal recognition of the State of Palestine at the upcoming UN General Assembly has received backing from Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. Macron’s initiative signals a significant step in France’s Middle East policy, despite pushback from its traditional allies.

According to Agence France-Presse, at least 142 countries have already recognised, or expressed their intention to recognise, Palestinian statehood. However, the effort remains highly divisive, especially with Israel and the United States maintaining firm opposition.

The debate over recognition is taking place against the backdrop of one of the deadliest phases in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

According to the Health Ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza, 59,587 Palestinians—most of them civilians—have been killed by Israel’s military operations since the conflict erupted. The violence was triggered by Hamas’s October 2023 cross-border assault, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people in Israel, also predominantly civilians.

By Tamilla Hasanova