The Palestinian Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Omar Awadallah, has welcomed the growing recognition of Palestine by additional nations, describing it as a significant message directed towards Israel. In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, he stated that Israel cannot continue on its current trajectory.
Awadallah expressed hope that this wave of recognition will lead to further actions, including a comprehensive boycott, widespread sanctions and the severing of all ties with Israeli settlements, extending sanctions to settlers themselves. He advocated for a global travel ban for all settlers, insisting that measures must escalate in intensity as long as Israel does not alter its policies.
When questioned about the potential for Hamas to participate in a future Palestinian government, Awadallah did not rule out the possibility. Acknowledging uncertainty regarding Hamas’s future role, he suggested a parallel consideration of the inclusion of figures like Simcha Rothman, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Benjamin Netanyahu within the Israeli government, implying that demanding exclusion for Hamas from a Palestinian government would be inconsistent.