Former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for a “time-bound, conditions-based” approach to recognizing a Palestinian state, arguing that such a framework could help end the Gaza conflict, secure Israeli interests, and rebuke Hamas’s violent agenda.
In an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal on Monday, Blinken criticized the decision by France, the UK, Canada, and Australia to recognize a Palestinian state this September, calling it “morally right” but “totally beside the more pressing realities” amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
He emphasized that “averting famine, recovering the hostages and ending the conflict in Gaza are the priorities. Talk of two states can wait.”
Blinken proposed a structured plan for recognition that would require Palestinians to meet specific conditions, including disarming terror groups, rejecting ties with Iran, and reforming the Palestinian Authority. “No one should expect Israel to accept a Palestinian state that is led by Hamas or other terrorists,” he wrote, adding that the state must not be “militarized or have independent armed militias.”
He argued that such a plan could facilitate Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and accelerate normalization with Saudi Arabia, a goal that “many Israelis desire.” Blinken noted that “ending the conflict in Gaza and opening a credible pathway to a Palestinian state is also required for Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel.”
Blinken was unequivocal in his condemnation of Hamas, stating that the terror group has long sought to sabotage peace efforts. “Hamas has hoped for decades to kill the idea of two states,” he wrote, referencing its attacks on the Oslo Accords and the Arab Peace Initiative. He asserted that a conditional recognition plan would be “the ultimate rebuke to its agenda of death and destruction.”
He also warned against unconditional recognition, saying it would “fortify proponents of terror on the Palestinian side and rejectionists of Palestinian statehood on the Israeli side.”
Blinken suggested a three-year timeline for Palestinian Arabs to meet the conditions, with the United Nations Security Council serving as the arbiter of compliance. He emphasized that “America’s veto would reassure Israelis,” and that direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians could continue on core issues such as borders, security, and Jerusalem.
While urging PA reform, Blinken also called on Israel to take immediate steps to improve the humanitarian situation and restore credibility to its peace posture. He urged the government to “cease expanding settlements, legalizing outposts and demolishing Palestinian homes,” and to “hold accountable extremist settlers who commit acts of violence.”
He also stressed the importance of respecting the status quo on holy sites and supporting reform of the Palestinian Authority, warning that undermining it “lets Israel claim it has no negotiating partner.”
Blinken concluded with a stark reminder that both peoples are rooted in the same land. “Seven million Israeli Jews, two million Israeli Arabs and some five million Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza are rooted in the same region. No one is going anywhere,” he wrote. He urged both sides to reject extremist visions and embrace coexistence.