[ [link removed] ] [ [link removed] ]J Street[ [link removed] ]
Friends,

US recognition of a Palestinian state would slam the door on far-right efforts to take over Gaza indefinitely and annex the West Bank.

That’s why – as more countries commit to recognizing Palestine and momentum builds in the United States – Netanyahu and his allies are working overtime to smear and undermine the recognition movement.

Their spin is designed to distract, delay and protect a status quo of occupation, conflict and a march toward annexation.

There’s no small amount of chutzpah at play: The same people asleep at the wheel on October 7 and who spent decades trying to bury Palestinian statehood – including by propping up Hamas as a foil – are now saying the recognition movement is “rewarding terror.”

That’s why we’ve put together this guide: To help you cut through misinformation and provide clear, grounded responses to the talking points we hear again and again.

We hope you find it useful.

 How To Make Yourself Heard 

🔄 Acknowledge Security Concerns: Many who oppose recognition are motivated by real fears for Israel’s security. Naming and validating those concerns opens space to explain why recognition strengthens security and the path to peace, rather than undermining it.

📣 Amplify Israeli Validators: Highlight Israelis – including former heads of security agencies – who say recognition is essential to securing Israel’s democratic, Jewish future.

🔍 Expose the Status Quo: You’re likely to hear a “not now” argument. Step back and name what “not now” really means: Endless occupation, annexation and war. This is a “now or never” moment. Underscore the goals of those most loudly opposing recognition: Those who have spent years undermining peace, fueling Hamas and advancing settlements.

 The Case for Recognition

Recognition = Recognition of Reality: Without a two-state outcome, Israel faces a one-state future that erodes its Jewish and democratic character and alienates it from diaspora Jews and the international community. Only a Palestinian state alongside Israel can secure Israel’s long-term security and Jewish, democratic future.
Recognition Strengthens Moderates and Weakens Extremists: Offering a credible, peaceful path toward freedom and self-determination offers hope for a better future and undercuts Hamas’ ideology of violent resistance. The Palestinian Authority has taken real steps – including reforming prisoner payments – to gain international recognition. US recognition unlocks new incentives for continued reforms in exchange for deeper ties, trade, visas and participation.
Recognition Opens the Door to Regional Integration: Arab states have made clear that full normalization with Israel – and their role in Gaza’s security, reconstruction and governance – depends on a credible path to Palestinian statehood. Without their investment in rebuilding and governing Gaza, there is no removing Hamas. Recognition brings us closer to eradicating Hamas, regional normalization and a 23-state solution.
US Recognition Makes Annexation Untenable: US recognition slams the door shut on West Bank annexation, undercutting the settlement movement’s long-term goal and pushing focus toward land swaps and final status negotiations.
 Responding to Misinformation and Talking Points 

“Recognition is a gift to Hamas.”

I understand the fear – nobody wants to see Hamas strengthened. But in reality, endless war, occupation and hopelessness are the real gifts to Hamas. It feeds their narrative that violent resistance is the only path to Palestinian freedom and independence.
Recognition of a Palestinian state within 1967 borders makes clear the world will never accept a ‘River to the Sea’ vision for either side and brings a two-state solution closer to reality – that's the opposite of what Hamas wants.
Former Shin Bet chief Ami Ayalon wrote that only military pressure paired with a real political horizon, like recognition, can undercut Hamas’ ideology of violent resistance.
The same voices calling recognition a “gift to Hamas” have for decades tried to thwart a two-state solution – including by propping up Hamas and weakening moderates.
Recognition empowers the more moderate voices who are actually looking to pursue a Palestinian state through nonviolence.
“Palestinians haven’t compromised.”

It’s fair to demand Palestinian accountability, and the Palestinian Authority needs to make further reforms – and they will continue to face pressure to make those reforms if they’ve got more skin in the game and are able to secure real progress.
The Palestinian Authority works with Israeli security services every day to prevent terrorism in the West Bank. Unlike Hamas, it recognizes Israel and remains committed to nonviolence as the means to achieving Palestinian statehood. A Palestinian state should be subject to limitations on military capacity, as is the case in other peace agreements.
Recognition unlocks new incentives for reforms in exchange for deeper trade, migration and diplomatic ties, and participation in international institutions.
With annexation looming and massive new settlements announced, recognition shows that we’re serious about ending the conflict and supporting Palestinian rights.
“Recognition is just symbolic.”

I get the skepticism – it can feel like recognition is just words. But words matter: Palestinians have a right to freedom and self-determination, and recognizing a Palestinian state is an important step toward making that real. No people can be expected to remain stateless indefinitely.
Recognition carries with it important opportunities to build the foundations of nationhood – from issuing currency and passports to signing international treaties.
US recognition in particular slams the door on the far right’s fantasies of annexation, focusing attention instead on negotiating land swaps and final status issues.
“Why now?”

I know that this feels like a risk, but the real risk is returning to the status quo of endless delay: More settlements, more annexation, more despair, more people driven to terror.
Arab states have tied their investment in stabilizing, rebuilding and helping govern post-conflict Gaza to a credible path to Palestinian statehood. Without their support in security, reconstruction and governance, Hamas cannot be eradicated.
Israeli leaders are openly declaring they’ll never allow a Palestinian state. If the world waits, there may soon be nothing left to recognize.
We cannot return to the stale and stalled “peace process” pre–October 7. We owe it to the people on both sides who continue to suffer to take bold action, make progress and ensure those horrors can never be repeated. Recognition is how we move the ball forward, renew incentives and preserve what’s left of the possibility of peace.
“What state are we recognizing? What are its borders and its administration?”

The US should recognize a demilitarized Palestinian state along 1967 borders, subject to agreed swaps, with the Palestinian Authority as its legitimate government.
Just as recognition of Israel came before final borders, recognition of Palestine affirms the principle that both peoples have the right to live in freedom and self-determination.
Recognition draws a red line against annexation, legitimizes the Palestinian Authority and focuses efforts on negotiations, governance reform and international integration.
“Should we condition recognition in any way?”

Yes, recognition comes with expectations. The US will still be able to withhold support for further integration and press for the Palestinian Authority to maintain security cooperation, pursue anti-corruption reforms and remain committed to nonviolence.
A Palestinian state will be subject to negotiated limitations on its military capacity – similar to many peace agreements worldwide.
Recognition isn’t a black check or the end of the road; it means setting a course for real progress, with incentives for reforms and security guarantees for Israel built into the process.
Top Resource:

Why Israel – And Trump – Should Support Palestinian Statehood
Ami Ayalon, former head of the Shin Bet; Gilead Sher, former Israeli peace negotiator; and Orni Petruschka, co-founder of Commanders for Israel’s Security.

“Recognition provides a constructive ideological counterweight to Hamas and other jihadist organizations. Military action alone cannot defeat extremism; it must be paired with a credible, alternative political vision. Recognizing Palestine as a state presents a peaceful and realistic pathway that undermines the narrative of violent resistance and gives hope to Palestinians seeking a diplomatic solution.”

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J Street is the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy
Americans who want Israel to be secure, democratic and the national home of the
Jewish people. Working in American politics and the Jewish community, we
advocate policies that advance shared US and Israeli interests as well as Jewish
and democratic values, leading to a two-state solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.



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