Mark Stone
The current Israeli government is firmly against a Palestinian state in every sense.
Different iterations of Israeli governments over the years have oscillated on ‘two states’, but after the 7 October Hamas attacks the Israeli position cemented – no two states, no Palestinian state.
The Israeli ambassador to the UN made a strong point to the general assemby
The Israeli ambassador to the UN made a strong point to the general assemby
Broadly, they do not distinguish between the extremism of Hamas and the moderate nature of other Palestinian political factions like the Fatah-run Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. It’s the crux of deadlock.
So who else?
The United States
They stand behind Israel despite significant tension now between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
America is committed to a two-state solution but argues that it begins with a ceasefire and that the formation of a Palestinian state comes much further down the line.
Speaking after the vote, White House spokesman John Kirby said: “We continue to believe in the promise of a two-state solution and an independent state for the Palestinian people.
“That’s something that President Biden remains fully and firmly committed to. We also believe that the best way to do that is through direct negotiations with the parties and not through a vote at the UN of this kind, so that’s why we voted no.”
As always with geopolitics, relationships are so often symbiotic; they are all about mutual benefit even when, ostensibly, the relationship might seem incongruous.
Hungary
The eastern-European EU member voted with Israel and against the Palestinians.
Don’t assume that hard-right Hungarian Prime Minister Orban’s hatred of Hungarian-born Jewish-US billionaire George Soros is a reflection of his views on Israel despite the anti-Soros narrative often being seen as antisemitic.
Antisemitism has haunted the right of politics in Hungary since the Second World War when half a million Jewish Hungarians were murdered. Yet Orban and Netanyahu have a close, longstanding relationship.
Orban admires the way Netanyahu’s ethos of building strength out of a small nation-state and the two leaders found mutual interest in standing up to liberal democratic headwinds.
Orban’s fallout with the EU has aligned with Netanyahu’s assessment that Europe is increasingly anti-Israel.
The Soros-hatred also aligns with Netanyahu in that the conspiracy is that Soros is somehow seeking to ‘Islamise’ Judeo-Christian Europe with his pro-immigration stance.
Argentina
Argentina’s vote is driven by new populist President Javier Milei who has pledged unwavering support for Netanyahu and has vowed to move Argentina’s embassy to Jerusalem.
Milei has said he plans to convert to Judaism.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic also voted with Israel in line with a strongly pro-Israel stance underlined repeatedly since 7 October.
There is a strong historical bond between Czech leaders and the Zionist movement which helped cement the Jewish State which strengthened after the fall of Communism in 1989.
As a new democracy, the Czech Republic bonded with a young democracy in Israel. In recent years, economic ties have flourished.
Pacific Island Nations
The rest, curiously maybe, are all Pacific Island nations: Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Nauru and Palau.
The reason for their support is simple: straightforward soft power.
The small developing nations all enjoy generous Israeli aid from the government and from Israeli charities.
The understanding is that, in return, they will always support Israel at international bodies of which they are members.
Israel insists that its motivation is predominantly humanitarian, but officials are up front to that it’s also about positioning Israel in a better light.
Israel uses its considerable expertise in many arenas deftly.
At natural disasters, for example, Israeli rescue crews are often among the first on the ground.
This targeted soft power diplomacy has helped Israel to secure votes, but also abstentions in its favour among many other nations too.
On this vote though, on Palestine, global opinion was overwhelmingly against Israel.
Sky News
