The recent wave of recognition of the State of Palestine by Western countries has sent shockwaves through Israeli occupation government, exposing sharp divisions within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition.

Netanyahu convened an emergency, out-of-schedule meeting on Sunday to respond to the growing international recognition of Palestine ,according to Anadolu Agency and Israeli media. Far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir, National Security Minister, and Bezalel Smotrich, Finance Minister, were deliberately excluded. The session aimed to assess Israel’s response to the diplomatic backlash.

Sources close to Ben Gvir told Hebrew-language Channel 12 that Netanyahu’s move signals “an attempt to soften the push for imposing Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank.” Ben Gvir and his allies have demanded a harsher approach, calling for “accelerating steps to assert sovereignty and ending the role of the Palestinian Authority.”

Netanyahu, facing mounting international isolation and ongoing war crimes investigations at the International Criminal Court, is reportedly trying to maintain coalition cohesion while avoiding a full-blown domestic and international crisis. During the meeting, he stressed “the importance of full coordination with the U.S. administration, under President Donald Trump, to respond to the recognition of the Palestinian state.”

Meanwhile, the international momentum in support of Palestine continues. Portugal, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia recently recognized the Palestinian state, bringing the total to 153 out of 193 UN member states. Eleven additional countries—including Malta, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Armenia, and Australia—have announced plans to recognize Palestine during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry welcomed Portugal’s move, describing it as “a courageous decision consistent with international law and UN resolutions” and adding that “this step provides crucial support for peace efforts and the implementation of a two-state solution.” The ministry urged countries that have yet to recognize Palestine to do so, stressing it is necessary “to protect the political process and help end the occupation.”

The ongoing massacre in Gaza further underscores the urgency of international recognition. Since October 7, 2023, Israeli military operations with U.S. support have killed 65,283 Palestinians and injured 166,575 others, most of them women and children. Famine has claimed the lives of 442 Palestinians, including 147 children.

This escalation highlights the growing pressure on Netanyahu, who now finds himself caught between the demands of far-right extremists within his government and increasing global condemnation of the occupation. (ILKHA)