There’s no such thing as a “Palestinian,” and there never has been. There is neither an ethnicity, nor a citizenship which grants such an identity to anyone. But that doesn’t mean there couldn’t be in in the future, given what world leaders are increasingly advocating – Palestinian statehood. However, those calling for general recognition of a nation of Palestine should consider the ramifications.
Prior to 135 AD, there was no such thing as “Palestine.” That’s the year that Roman emperor Hadrian renamed the region of Judea, “Syria-Palestina.” But Syria-Palestina was occupied by various Arab and Hebrew tribes, none of which considered themselves “Palestinians.”
In 1964, Yasser Arafat invented the “Palestinian” identity, as a patina of legitimacy for his terrorist organization’s butchery of innocents. Fast forward to 2025, and now there are many who identify as “Palestinian,” in the same sense as Leah Thomas identifies as female. They make that claim out of allegiance to antisemites, but with no basis in reality. To this day, there remains no ethnicity nor citizenship associated with being a “Palestinian.” It is a make-believe identity
On October 7, 2023, Hamas committed unspeakable acts of barbarity against Israel, in service to their “Palestinian” cause. Israel responded with force against the Gaza Strip – the region providing safe-haven for Hamas.
Israel was immediately condemned by world leaders for its military undertaking. Virtually the entire world, except the United States, claimed that Israel was creating a humanitarian crisis against innocent people, who’s only crime was proximity to the terrorists. That claim is based on the logic that a population is not responsible for the acts of criminals hiding amongst them. Of course, that argument conveniently avoids the reality that the population of Gaza elected the criminals to represent them. But with statehood, even that thin veil of plausible deniability disappears.
Within the last few weeks, UK Prime Minister Starmer, French President Macron, and Canadian Prime Minister Carney have announced their intention to recognize a Palestinian nation – the State of Palestine (the name proposed by the United Nations). Their announcement confirms that all three are either diplomatic idiots or morally bankrupt opportunists. They are condemning the remaining hostages held by Hamas to death, in exchange for a bit of fleeting anti-American and/or antisemitic posing for their Islamic insurgents. But have these leaders considered what statehood means, besides the opening of a few new embassies and the conduct of some state visit parties?
Statehood means that the State of Palestine, becomes the official representative of all who live there. Everything the new government does, is done in the name of its citizens, and with their culpability. The people of Palestine will no longer be innocent victims living amongst terrorists. As Palestinians, they become the source of authority for the acts of their government … even though Hamas is still their dominant ruling party.
In WWII, Adolph Hitler industrialized the murder of Jews. Even though most Germans were unaware that the “final solution” was underway, at the conclusion of the war, the Allies forced the citizenry to bear witness to the atrocities of the death camps, either in person or via film. Wittingly or otherwise, all Germans were part of the body politic which had committed the barbarity. They were guilty of the crimes which they had given the Nazis the power to commit.
At what point will Palestine become an actual nation state? Will the unification of the Gaza Strip and the West bank mark the birth of a nation? Will it be when the first major country opens an embassy in Gaza City? Perhaps Palestine will become a sovereign country when the United Nations grants it membership. I note that 147 of the UN’s 193 member states already recognize the State of Palestine as a sovereign nation. When Palestine reaches universal recognition as a nation, does that recognition come with behavioral expectations? Expectations which the residents of Gaza are currently exempt from?
Will the United Nations – or for that matter England, France, and Canada – insist that the State of Palestine commit to the Geneva Conventions? Will they at least expect the Palestinians to cease using rape, torture, and the burning of babies alive as accepted military tactics – in exchange for admittance into to the world community?
Statehood bestows a certain level of legitimacy but comes with responsibility and accountability. When the government of the State of Palestine murders the remaining hostages and drags their mutilated bodies through the streets to the adoring cheers of the country’s new citizens, it will not be accepted by the world as the act of sociopathic savages. It will be an official act of war by the State of Palestine, done with the endorsement of all Palestinians. When that happens, accounts will be settled with the blood of the country’s citizens, just as it has been for every other rogue country in history. Palestinian statehood could be the birth of a new nation, or the death of a global scourge.
Author Bio: John Green is a retired engineer and political refugee from Minnesota, now residing in Idaho. He spent his career designing complex defense systems, developing high performance organizations, and doing corporate strategic planning. He is a contributor to American Thinker, The American Spectator, and the American Free News Network. He can be reached at greenjeg@gmail.com.
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