WHAT LOOKS LIKE an overwhelming consensus on the Gaza-Israeli war in the declarations made during the UNGA80 might really need to be subjected to a litmus test of common sense. Media, activists and politicians have said much about Israel’s retaliation, but little said about the preceding provocation. The common sense aspect in the Hamas case, however, is what appears to be missing now, which is why some countries are still refusing to give legitimacy to Palestinian state.

The common sense aspect in the Hamas case is what appears to be missing now, which is why some countries are still refusing to give legitimacy to Palestinian state.

For instance, the Japanese Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, observed that there is a growing momentum in the international community for recognition of the state of Palestine. In response to this, he said, “the government has been holding thorough discussions from the perspectives of how Japan should respond and what would contribute to substantial progress towards the two-state solution, which Japan has consistently supported. As a result, the Japanese government has decided not to recognise the state of Palestine at this UN General Assembly meeting.”

Among others who are not ready to support the use of the UN platform to rubber stamp the Palestinian state recognition spree is the president of Argentina, Javier Gerardo Milei. In his speech at UNGA 79, the previous year, Milei took a swipe at the UN General Assembly for its disposition towards Palestine against Israel. “In this very house that claims to defend human rights, they have allowed the entry of bloody dictatorships like those of Cuba and Venezuela without the slightest reproach. In this very house that claims to defend the rights of women, it allows countries that punish women for showing skin to enter the committee for the elimination of discrimination against women. In this very house, there has been a systematic voting against the state of Israel, which is the only country in the Middle East that defends liberal democracy, while simultaneously demonstrating a total inability to respond to the scourge of terrorism. In the economic spheres, collectivist policies have been promoted that undermine economic growth, violate property rights and hinder the natural economic process, preventing the most disadvantaged countries in the world from freely enjoying their own resources to move forward. We believe in the defence of the life of all. We believe in the defence of the property of all. We believe in the freedom of expression for all. We believe in the freedom of worship for all.

We believe in the freedom of trade for all. And we believe in limited governments for all. And that’s what happens when one country quickly impacts others. We believe that all people must live free from tyranny and oppression, whether it takes the form of political oppression, economic slavery or religious fanaticism. That fundamental idea must not remain mere words. It must be supported by actions diplomatically, economically and materially.”

The accusations that Israel is preventing Palestine from gaining the status of a sovereign state falls flat in the face of historical evidence. Over a period of nearly a century, Palestine has rejected the idea of statehood of its own on five separate occasions. The Jews and Arabs earlier wanted to govern the same land, but a two state solution was rejected by the Arabs. Each time Israel has agreed to a Palestinian state, the Palestinians have rejected the offer, often violently. True peace in the Middle East may not be to pressure Israel to make yet another offer of state by Israel to the Palestinians, but to pressure the Palestinians to finally accept the existence of the Jewish state. A Danish speaker, in a speech on the EU parliament platform, disclosed recently that “71 percent of Palestinians support Hamas horrific attack on October 7, and 59 percent believe that armed struggle is the best way forward. These are not fringe views. They are the majority in a society based on fanatical islamism and support for terrorism.

Every Arab country knows this and recognises it. That’s why neighbouring countries such as Egypt, Jordan or Lebanon, or even the rich Arab oil states of the Gulf have not taken any of these Palestinian extremists.” According to the Danish source, “in Europe, the naivety is without limits. Denmark has already seen the consequences. In 1992, 321 stateless Palestinians were granted residence by special law. Today, the results are clear: 74 percent live on welfare; 57 percent have criminal convictions. And for the children, the stats are even worse. This is not humanity. This is a generational betrayal. Europe must finally learn [that] importing radicalised people means exporting security and prosperity for the next generations.”
Those closer to the people are not keeping quiet on the situation either. Rawan Osman, UN Human Rights Council, made passionate comments on the Palestinian situation some time ago.

“Are you outraged with the war in Gaza? So am I. My name is Rawan Osman, half Syrian, half Lebanese. Since October 7, I visited Israel nine times and I want to testify before God and you (the UN). Israel is not the problem. Last week, Israel buried Shiri Bibas with her children Ariel and Kefir. Hamas said they have been arrested. Forensic reports show they were choked to death in Gaza. But many who point fingers at Israel might do better to look in the mirror. I ask Qatar, why didn’t you arrest the Hamas chiefs in Doha and demand release of the hostages? Why did you finance terror? And I ask Iran, why do you send billions to Hamas and Hezbollah instead of liberating your own people who are suffering oppression and poverty in Egypt? You charged Gazans thousands of dollars to escape the war.

How can you lecture about the morality of displacing Gazans? Jordan, why have you refused to accept any Gazans? Are they not your own people? Lebanon, instead of discussing Hezbollah’s political role, banned the party. Syria, if the new president is sincere about his transformation, ask him to return the body of Ely Cohen. It’s been six decades. Allow his wife to bury him before she dies. Hamas abuses dead bodies. Be a better Arab. Be a better Muslim.”
Mosab Hassan Yousef, the Palestinian defector whose father is Hassan Yousef, a co-founder of the Palestinian Islamist organisation Hamas, stunned the Council at the UN. In a speech lasting about 90 seconds, spoke on behalf of the UN Watch. Raw! “I grew up in Ramallah as a member of Hamas. I address my words to the Palestinian authority, which claims to be the ‘sole legitimate representative’ of the Palestinian people. I ask, ‘where does your legitimacy come from?’

The Palestinian people did not elect you and they did not appoint you to represent them. You are self-appointed. Your accountability is not to your own people. This is evidenced by your own total violation of their human rights. In fact, the Palestinian individual and their human development is the least of your concerns. You kidnap Palestinian students from campus and torture them in your jails. You torture your political rivals. The suffering of the Palestinian people is the outcome of your selfish political interests. You are the greatest enemy of the Palestinian people. If Israel did not exist, you would have no one to blame. Take responsibility for the outcome of your actions. You fan the flames of conflict to maintain your abusive power. Finally, you use this platform to mislead the international community to mislead the Palestinian society to believe that Israel is responsible for the problems you create.”

The argument is, who should know better, the UN, those countries’ presidents or Yousef? Who should be more credible?
The hypocrisy and selective outrage of the global political establishment on Hamas propaganda is all too evident. Earlier in March 2025, on UN Watch invitation, the courageous Yemeni journalist Luai Ahmed did not refrain from telling the truth. In his pointed questions, he raised many issues that the UN cannot afford to avoid if indeed it still desires to be respected as a global body. “I ask the UN, the Arab League, and everyone who has been raising the Palestinian flag since October 7; where is the flag of Yemen?” Without waiting for an answer, he added that, “in my country, half a million people have died in the last 10 years. The biggest famine and humanitarian crisis in modern history. Why does no one care when half a million Yemenis die? What about Sudan? In less than two years, more than 150,000 people have been killed. Where is the flag of Sudan? What about Syria? Half a million Syrians have been killed. Where is the Syrian flag? Why is it that when Arabs kill millions of Arabs, no one bats an eye? Where is the outrage? And where are the protests? May I ask why your report mentions Israel 188 times, yet fails to mention the Islamic regime in Iran even once? How can you speak about the conflict while ignoring the party that has armed, trained and funded terror proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis who have been bombing Israel thousands of times? Why don’t you mention the Houthis in Yemen who have spent millions of dollars firing missiles at Israel instead of feeding my starving people?

And why is Qatar sitting here as a member of the Human Rights Council when they host the Hamas terror leaders in luxury hotels?”
A brave Iranian added his own voice to the situation recently, particularly from Iran and its multiplayer effects elsewhere. Also, he asked questions. “How much more blood needs to be spilled before the world acts? For 46 years, the Islamic Republic has ruled by terror and the UN fact finding mission has revealed only the tip of the iceberg. Today, I speak for those who cannot. For the woman in Iran who set their headscarves on fire in protest only to be met with bullets. For the men who demand freedom, only to be silenced with torture. For the children who realised their opinion can be a death sentence. The name Jina Masa Amini still echoes in our hearts. She was one of the many arrested, beaten, murdered. This terror is not only contained within the Iran border. Today, as we sit here, murderers hired by the Islamic Republic stand trial in Europe and the United States for plots to assassinate Iranian activists. To the world I say: silence is complicity. To this council I say words of condemnation are not enough. Iranians need protection. They need accountability. They need justice. If this Council cannot defend the persecuted, it risks becoming a stage for the oppressors. The Iranian people are shouting: woman, life, freedom. Their fight is our fight and we must not fail them.”
It is very unlikely that those politicians from Africa that are grandstanding about Palestine, Gaza and Israel actually understand the real underpinnings of the Middle East crisis, let alone proffer any pragmatic solution. Their proclamations sound more like hypocritical and political correctness than altruistic. For example, considering the Boko Haram and other terrorist attacks that have killed thousands for upwards of 10 years, where is the Nigerian flag in the UN? For South Africa that is rabidly against Israel, now? What has the country done since it became known that ISIS remained a threat after the South African government first publicly acknowledged its presence in 2016? Those who treat the Middle East crisis differently need to take a true deep dive into the causes and dynamics of the crisis in the affected countries. For Israel and Palestine, the world needs to take a more pragmatic and honest look if they truly want to find any lasting solution.