The US Remains Against Unilateral Recognition Of Palestine

JAKARTA - The White House reiterated its rejection of unilateral recognition of the Palestinian state after three European countries, Ireland, Norway, and Spain, recognized the Palestinian state.

Responding to the actions of the three European countries, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stated that any Palestinian country should be formed through direct negotiations with Israel.

"What I can tell you is we believe the only way you will achieve a two-state solution that is beneficial to Israel and Palestine is through direct negotiations between the two parties," he told reporters at the White House.

The three European countries on Wednesday (225) said they would officially recognize the Palestinian state on May 28, a move that was a major blow to Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long opposed the Palestinian state, and recently rejected it on Wednesday (22.5) when he said the recognition of Ireland, Norway and Spain was "a gift to terrorism and would not bring peace."

He accused the Palestinian state of becoming a "terrorist state," and insisted his government "will not agree to this" and "will not stop it from defeating Hamas."

Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's finance minister, separately threatened to take "hard punishment" against the Palestinian Authority (PA) in retaliation for Palestinian state recognition, including cutting government tax revenues.

"At the last cabinet meeting, many ministers, including me, firmly filed demands for harsh punitive action against the Palestinian Authority over its unilateral actions against Israel, including its efforts to gain unilateral recognition and its support for legal cases against Israel in The Hague," Smotrich said.

Tax revenue - known in Palestine and Israel as "makas" - was collected by the Israeli government on behalf of the Palestinian Authority for imports and exports of Palestine, and Israel in return received a commission of 3 percent.

Its revenue is estimated to be around USD 188 million (around IDR 3 trillion) every month and is the main source of revenue for the Palestinian Authority.

"What the United States can do through strong diplomacy and 'informal' diplomacy, led by the president of the foreign minister, myself and other parties are realizing the vision of an integrated region, a safe Israel, and a two-state solution," Sullivan said.

He said this when asked about Israel's longstanding refusal to engage in any process that would lead to the creation of an independent Palestinian state.

"Israel is a sovereign country, in the end they have to decide what they will do. What we can do as friends is try to make efforts to make this happen," he added.