Turning tide in Gaza

Global community finally calls out Israel

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After months of looking the other way as Israel unleashed an attack against civilians in Gaza, key Western nations have performed a volte face of a kind. In short order, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada have extended conditional recognition of the state of Palestine in September and the two-state solution ahead of the 80th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

In practical terms, the move is symbolic, since the Palestinian state virtually does not exist. But in the larger geopolitical context, this shift has enormous significance in the international community's stance on Israel. For the first time, four of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council are likely to extend recognition to Palestine (China and Russia being the other two), isolating the United States (US). They would join 147 member states of the UN's 193 that recognise Palestine, India being among the earliest to sign on.