it is “not a reward, it is a right”, according to the president of iReMMO, Jean-Paul Chagnollaud

The recognition of the State of Palestine was recorded on Tuesday by Spain, Ireland and Norway.

“All states in the world have recognized the State of Palestine, except the Western bloc, that is, Western Europe and the United States, Canada”, specifies Tuesday May 28 on franceinfo Jean-Paul Chagnollaud, the President of iReMMO, the Institute of Mediterranean Middle East Studies and Research. But “there is a crack, a first significant crack”that created by Ireland, Norway and Spain which officially recognize the existence of a Palestinian state from Tuesday.

A major political decision which will not change anything in the armed conflict on the ground in the immediate future, according to the professor emeritus, but which is already having repercussions: “Canadians themselves are asking questions and have evolved. Now, they abstain at the United Nations, they no longer vote against anything that is pro-Palestinian, so it is still very important.”

The other major effect of this recognition is the legitimization of the two-state solution to resolve this conflict, because “by recognizing [un État palestinien]they say: ‘We need a political settlement and the only political settlement is a settlement based on the two-state solution’.” A solution approved by the West, but whose concrete translation is still too difficult to implement, because “Israel is ultimately a part of the West. Israel was born in the West, if I may say so, and by the West,” argues Jean-Paul Chagnollaud. A closely linked past between Israel and the West which explains the difficulty in enforcing the decisions of the International Court of Justice and which also explains the divide between public opinion which is increasingly in favor of a ceasefire. -immediate fire in Gaza and executives still very cautious towards the Hebrew State.

Another blockage comes from the argument, notably made by the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron, that the two-state solution is good, but that granting this recognition following the deadly attack of October 7 vindicates Hamas. and its methods. “This is reasoning that seems perfectly biased to me”rejects Jean-Paul Chagnollaud, “We’ve been talking about it for 25 years and each time, there’s a more or less good reason to say ‘we’re not doing it’, we always say ‘when the time comes’, but ‘the right time doesn’t come Never. […] This is a case which does not date from October 7, nor even from 1948, which dates back to 1922.”

It is very clear on one point, the recognition of a Palestinian state is not “not a reward”, it’s even “absurd to speak in these terms”. The researcher evokes international law to justify his point: “It is a right. Palestinians, like all people in the world, have a right to self-determination and this is recognized by all Security Council resolutions and also by the International Court of Justice.” “France should take this step [de la reconnaissance d’un État palestinien]. And once again, if we don’t go in this direction, we will go in the other. And what is the other direction? It’s war, endless war.”he concluded.