Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on September 21st, 2025, that Israel's response to Western nations' recognition of a Palestinian state will not be announced until after his return from the United States. Israeli officials also claim that the US administration has conveyed a clear message: "if there is a unilateral recognition, you can take unilateral steps," indicating no restriction on Israel's possible responses. This statement was reported by Amichai Stein. Sources within the Palestinian Authority expressed that recent declarations of recognition of a Palestinian state are viewed as "a largely moral and symbolic recognition, but these will have no actual impact on the establishment of a Palestinian state," according to a senior source in Ramallah speaking to i24NEWS. These developments follow the United Kingdom's formal recognition of the State of Palestine on September 21st, 2025, a move Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated was intended to revive hope for a two-state solution. French President Emmanuel Macron also stated on September 21st, 2025, that the release of hostages in Gaza is a prerequisite for opening a French embassy in Palestine. Macron and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia are scheduled to co-chair a conference in New York on Monday to mobilize international efforts toward peace.
