The silver lining in European nations’ push to reward the Hamas attacks with Palestinian statehood is the degree of pushback coming from the Jewish world—and who, specifically, is pushing back.
Both France and England have announced plans to recognize “the state of Palestine,” though in France’s case, it’s a done deal while the UK is using the threat to extort Israel to allow Hamas to control the aid flowing into Gaza. France’s move will reward Hamas in September; the UK’s move rewards Hamas right now and possibly again in September.
France and Britain have done enough redrawing of Mideast borders for several lifetimes, but there is something particularly sinister about this latest scheme. It’s not about Palestinian self-determination—the Palestinians have been offered a state several times and keep turning it down. It’s about benefiting Hamas, either by forcing policy changes that enrich Hamas or by allowing Hamas to squat on a claim of statehood.
Enabling Oct. 7 to result in a Palestinian state with Hamas in control of Gaza is downright evil. And in a significant break with past practice, the hostage families are saying so. Early this morning, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum—which has often been at odds with the government of Benjamin Netanyahu—released a blistering response to France, the UK, and anyone else flirting with this contemptible idea:
“Recently, we’ve seen an increase in initiatives calling for unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state — all while 50 hostages have been held captive by Hamas for 663 days.
“Recognizing a Palestinian state while 50 hostages remain trapped in Hamas tunnels amounts to rewarding terrorism. Such recognition is not a step toward peace, but rather a clear violation of international law and a dangerous moral and political failure that legitimizes horrific war crimes.
“The abduction of men, women, and children, who are being held against their will in tunnels while subjected to starvation and physical and psychological abuse, cannot and should not serve as the foundation for establishing a state.
“If the international community truly desires peace, it must join U.S. efforts by demanding first the release of all hostages, followed by an end to the fighting.
“Recognition of a Palestinian state before the hostages are returned will be remembered throughout history as validating terrorism as a legitimate pathway to political goals.
“The essential first step toward ensuring a better future for all peoples must be the release of all hostages through a single, comprehensive deal.”
It should be remembered that the hostage families have largely been pushing for an end to the war. The hostages themselves were overwhelmingly taken from politically left, peace-minded communities that do not oppose Palestinian self-determination. This isn’t Netanyahu’s coalition talking; it isn’t even Netanyahu’s electoral constituency. These are the victims who are being re-victimized by Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, and their copycats.
One of those victims is Emily Damari, a UK citizen who was taken captive when Hamas terrorists shot part of her hand off. Held for over a year without much light or food, and with untreated wounds from Hamas, the relentlessly upbeat Damari became a symbol of resilience upon her release.
Damari had this to say to Starmer:
“As a Dual British-Israeli citizen who survived 471 days in Hamas captivity, I am deeply saddened by your decision @Keir_Starmer to recognise Palestinian statehood. This move does not advance peace—it risks rewarding terror. It sends a dangerous message: that violence earns legitimacy. By legitimizing a state entity while Hamas still controls Gaza and continues its campaign of terror, you are not promoting a solution; you are prolonging the conflict. Recognition under these conditions emboldens extremists and undermines any hope for genuine peace. Shame on you.”
Voices from within the mainstream Jewish world have similarly been important in getting this message across.
UK Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis noted that Starmer’s plan treats Israel more harshly than it does Hamas: “So many in the Jewish community are viewing this as a profound betrayal of Israel’s quest to live free of terror on its borders. And as is often the case, when the Jewish state appears more vulnerable, extremists at home and abroad are emboldened, and Jewish people are more vulnerable as a result.”
It was also gratifying to see the response from the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the umbrella organization for U.S. Jewish groups. After Emmanuel Macron made his Palestine announcement, his foreign minister reached out to the Conference to offer to meet with them in New York about it.
Again, this was after Macron went public.
“We are disappointed that our organizations were invited to discuss a policy that appears to already have been finalized rather than being consulted beforehand as partners committed to sustainable peace,” the Conference and six of its member organizations—the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, B’nai B’rith International, UJA-Federation of New York and the World Jewish Congress—said in a statement. For good measure, they added that France’s move “not only emboldens extremists, but risks the security of the Jewish people around the globe.”
Their refusal to meet with the French minister sends an important message, as do the reactions around the Jewish world. I’ll let Conference of Presidents head William Daroff, who gave a statement to eJewishPhilanthropy, have the last word and hope his point comes through loud and clear:
“The decision here by these organizations acting jointly and unanimously, I believe, is indicative of a new wind that has been blowing since Oct. 7, where Jewish organizations are not fighting amongst themselves, not elbowing each other, but are working more in concert and focus together on the best interest of American Jewry. And so I’m proud that we’ve come together, all the organizations that were invited, to say, ‘Non, merci.’”
