Thread by @Daniel_Sugarman

I thought it might be useful to set out some of the issues about Palestinian recognition which the British government has seemed utterly determined to ignore in the pursuit of a vibes-based policy.

A thread:

1) As per a Memorandum signed with the PA, the UK recognises this state on 1949 armistice lines.

The Western Wall, Temple Mount, Jerusalem Old City, Cave of the Patriarchs, Rachel's Tomb - *all* Judaism's holiest sites- are now considered by the UK under Palestinian sovereignty.

2) The UK appears to be recognising the Palestinian Authority - a corrupt gerontocracy - as the official government.

Mahmoud Abbas was elected President in 2006 for a 4 year term. 19 years on and with no further elections, he's still the President.

3) Why? Well, because the alternative is far worse - Hamas itself. One of the key reasons the PA hasn't held elections since 2006 is because *everyone knows* that if they did Hamas would win.

I can't even call it an open secret because it's not a secret at all.

4) Of course, once Hamas won it would do the exact same thing as the PA did - never hold another election. We know that because they won in Gaza 20 years ago, soon after massacred anyone affiliated with the PA, and then ruled as a religious dictatorship.

5) This isn't Northern Ireland, I beg you to understand that. The only 'peace' Hamas is interested in is a pause that will allow them to regroup & rearm.

What you saw on 7 October 2023 is their plan for every man, woman and child in Israel.

6) The only way to ensure a two-state solution which works was to a) do everything to destroy Hamas and b) create a clear plan of recognition by *all* Arab countries, explicitly tied to Israeli recognition of a Palestinian state.

This was not done.

7) So, the UK, Australia and Canada, among others, have recognised a Palestinian state based on the ultimate political lodestar of soft-left governments - the vague sense that it's 'the right thing to do'.

*Thread ends*