Despite widespread global anticipation of France’s recognition of a Palestinian state, residents of the Israeli-controlled West Bank felt the move would have little tangible effect on their daily lives.
In the streets of Ramallah — seat of the Palestinian Authority — screens were not showing the UN gathering where French President Emmanuel Macron announced the recognition, and most said they would not tune in to watch it.
“Of course (recognition) is a good thing, but even if the whole world recognizes it, Palestine’s situation will not improve,” said Zain Abdel Wahab, 18, on a quiet shopping street in Ramallah.
“The war on Gaza has lasted two years. What will this recognition bring us? Will the war end? No, it will continue,” he said, adding that economic conditions in the West Bank were deteriorating.
Many Palestinians expressed disinterest in the wave of countries recognizing their state.
Rasha, a 37-year-old who gave only her first name, said she did not care about the move. “The West… is making a big deal out of it but it does not make any difference for Palestinians, it does not make any change in our daily life.”
“It’s too risky (to go to Jenin) because of all the settlers that are attacking us, and… there are too many checkpoints now,” she continued.
“So much for their Palestinian state that they are recognizing.”
Following the move by Britain, Canada and Australia to recognise the Palestinian state, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to expand settlements in the West Bank, adding that no such state would exist.
The move by the Western leaders moreover comes as Israel presses a new offensive in Gaza City against Hamas, whose October 7, 2023, terror attack against Israel started the nearly two-year long war that has devastated most of the Gaza Strip.
For some, recognition of a state of their own was a positive step, but it still fell short.
“We are happy with this recognition, but we want additional steps from the countries that recognized the state of Palestine,” said Ibrahim Salam Abdullah, 18.
“We want the countries that recognized the state of Palestine and gave us their love to work on improving the situation in the West Bank, ending the war in our beloved Gaza Strip, and ending the famine that is afflicting the children and all of our people in Gaza.”
At a cafe in downtown Ramallah, men smoked and clapped occasionally during Macron’s speech, with some praising him for addressing equality between Israelis and Palestinians.
Abu Elias, 63, who was watching the speech said he was optimistic but felt nothing would change in the short term.
“You don’t go to the moon in one day,” he said, adding, “nothing has been happening for 80 years and now I have a feeling something good for Palestinians will happen.”
Bisan, a 25-year-old architecture student, admitted she didn’t really understand what the recognition would mean.
“I don’t understand what this recognition entails, and I don’t know what to think about it because I don’t know what is the future of a Palestinian state,” she said.
“I don’t know what the European countries mean when they say they want to recognize Palestine.
“We don’t see the reality of it. But I think for my parents, it’s important, it makes them feel that somebody cares.”