Former Secretary of State Blinken Questions Timing of Palestinian State Recognition, Proposes 3-Year Plan By The Media Line Staff Former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has criticized moves by several Western nations to recognize a Palestinian state, calling the timing “detached from reality” while the war in Gaza rages and humanitarian needs mount. In a […]
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The Media Line: Former Secretary of State Blinken Questions Timing of Palestinian State Recognition, Proposes 3-Year Plan
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Former Secretary of State Blinken Questions Timing of Palestinian State Recognition, Proposes 3-Year Plan
By The Media Line Staff
Former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has criticized moves by several Western nations to recognize a Palestinian state, calling the timing “detached from reality” while the war in Gaza rages and humanitarian needs mount.
In a Wall Street Journal opinion piece, Blinken—who served under President Joe Biden—argued that the most urgent priorities are averting famine in Gaza, securing the release of Israeli hostages, and bringing the conflict to an end. “Talk of two states can wait,” he wrote, adding that recognition at this stage “won’t produce a Palestinian state or end suffering in Gaza.”
Blinken warned that granting recognition without conditions risks strengthening “proponents of terror” among Palestinians and emboldening those in Israel who oppose any form of Palestinian statehood. He emphasized that such a step must be accompanied by firm commitments from the Palestinian side to guarantee Israel’s security.
As an alternative, Blinken proposed that countries including France, the UK, Canada, and Australia—along with the United States—support a structured, three-year path toward recognition. This process, he said, should have clear start and end points, giving Palestinians a realistic timeline for achieving political self-determination while ensuring the necessary reforms are in place.
According to Blinken, the conditions should prohibit a future Palestinian state from being led by Hamas or other terrorist groups, from having independent armed militias, or from aligning with Iran or other actors that reject Israel’s existence. He also insisted that incitement and anti-Israel indoctrination in schools must end, and that the state must avoid becoming another failed entity in the region.
Recognition tied to meeting these benchmarks, he argued, would demonstrate to Israel and the international community that a Palestinian state is committed to governance, stability, and coexistence rather than confrontation. He suggested that such a plan could even help Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu distance himself from “toxic partners” in his governing coalition.
Blinken’s remarks come ahead of an expected September session of the UN General Assembly, where several nations are preparing to announce formal recognition of Palestinian statehood despite Israel’s strong objections.