Explainer: What would wider recognition of Palestine mean for Palestinians and Israel?

Several more countries are expected to officially recognize a Palestinian state at a world summit hosted by France and Saudi Arabia on Monday, following Australia, Britain, Canada, and Portugal taking this step the previous day, which has angered Israel. What would this mean for the Palestinians and Israel?

What is the status of Palestinian statehood now?

The Palestine Liberation Organization declared an independent Palestinian state in 1988. Today, about 150 of the 193 UN member states recognize Palestine as a state.

A delegation representing the State of Palestine has observer status at the United Nations, but it does not have voting rights. No matter how many countries recognize Palestinian independence, full UN membership would require approval by the Security Council, where the United States has a veto.

Palestinian diplomatic missions worldwide are managed by the Palestinian Authority (PA), which is recognized internationally as the official representative of the Palestinian people.

The PA, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, has limited self-rule in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank under agreements with Israel. It issues Palestinian passports and manages the Palestinian health and education systems. 

The Hamas militant group has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007, when it ousted Abbas's Fatah movement after a brief civil war.

Would countries open new embassies?

Palestinian diplomatic missions in countries recognizing a Palestinian state are expected to be upgraded to full embassies. However, countries are not likely to open fully-fledged embassies in the Palestinian territories, where Israel controls access.

About 40 countries have consulates or representative offices either in the PA's West Bank city of Ramallah or in parts of Jerusalem captured by Israel in 1967, where the Palestinians hope to establish their capital.

Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its undivided capital. Most official embassies in Israel are located in Tel Aviv, although the U.S. moved its embassy to Jerusalem during President Donald Trump's first term.

What is the aim of recognizing a Palestinian state?

Countries moving to recognize a Palestinian state say the move aims to pressure Israel to end its ongoing assault on Gaza, limit the expansion of new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, and renew efforts toward a peace process with the Palestinians.

French President Emmanuel Macron, the first leader of a major Western country to endorse recognition, said the move would be accompanied by a commitment by the PA to enact reforms, which would improve Palestinian governance and make it a more credible partner for the post-war administration of Gaza.

What has recognition meant in practice?

Without a full seat at the UN or control over its borders, the PA has only limited ability to carry out bilateral relations.

Israel limits access to goods, investment, and educational or cultural exchanges. There are no Palestinian airports. The landlocked West Bank can only be reached through Israel or the Israeli-controlled border with Jordan. Additionally, Israel now controls all access to the Gaza Strip since capturing Gaza's border with Egypt during the ongoing war.

Still, countries planning recognition and the PA itself say it would be more than just a symbolic gesture. There is one point on which international law is very clear: "Recognition does not mean that a state has been created, no more than the lack of recognition prevents the state from existing."

Husam Zomlot, head of the Palestinian mission to the UK, said it could result in partnerships between entities on equal footing. 

It might also lead countries to reevaluate aspects of their relationships with Israel, said Vincent Fean, a former British diplomat in Jerusalem. In Britain's case, this could involve banning products from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, he said, even though the practical impact on the Israeli economy would be minimal.

How have Israel and the U.S. reacted?

Israel, facing global outcry over its conduct in the Gaza war, claims recognition rewards Hamas for the attacks on Israel that triggered the war in October 2023.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, "A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River."

The U.S. opposes the recognition efforts by its European allies. It has imposed sanctions on Palestinian officials, including preventing Abbas and other PA figures from attending the UN General Assembly by denying and revoking visas.