Recognizing a Palestinian State Will Only Perpetuate a Cycle of Violence
Europe helped draft the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute. Yet some governments now propose recognizing a Palestinian state led by authorities who openly violate both. The price of being naïve about the Palestinian Authority is too high – and is paid in blood.
In a recent exchange with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot claimed, in defense of the planned recognition, that the PA had ended its “Pay-for-Slay” program. This is wrong. Enshrined in law, the program provides generous monthly “salaries” to over 40,000 imprisoned terrorists, released terrorists, and families of “martyrs.” Regular payments have gone out as recently as September 3rd. It is fantasy to believe that the PA wolf has turned into a lamb.
In the face of clear evidence of the program’s continued existence, pretending otherwise puts France and other European nations in stark contrast with the United States, which recently revoked visas for Palestinian Authority officials. It also means violating international law that makes the incentivized targeting of civilians a crime.
Pledges to recognize a state underscore exasperation with the continued conflict in Gaza. But recognition under the PA would not advance peace or prosperity; it would entrench Palestinians — and Europe itself — into deeper cycles of terrorism and instability.
The problem is not Palestinian statehood in principle, but in the character of those currently positioned to govern it. Recognizing a state under the current PA would reinforce a societal architecture of violence with serious implications for Europe. Proposed plans include granting the PA more power to distribute aid and lead recovery and reconstruction efforts in Gaza, but offer no actionable measures to reform the PA. These moves are reminiscent of the Oslo Accords which failed to deliver responsible governance or civil society.
The PA’s “pay-for-slay” system illustrates the problem. Its budget dwarfs welfare spending, while wasting money and prioritizing and encouraging terrorism over genuine economic needs. This is especially stark because the Palestinians are by far the largest per capita recipient of aid in the world. Coupled with the glorification of terrorists in schools and media, this ensures young Palestinians remain locked in hostility toward Israel rather than offered a future.
The radicalization in Gaza and the West Bank poses dangers far beyond the Middle East – a danger Europe knows all too well. Granting legitimacy to the leaders who foster this indoctrination strengthens their ideology, allowing it to continue spreading beyond the region. Even more troubling, many PA officials are bona fide terrorists who would receive diplomatic status and international mobility. Recognition under such conditions would betray Europe’s progressive values and endorse the militarization of civilian society.
The atrocities of October 7, and their widespread glorification, shockingly revealed a radicalization incompatible with Western norms. This indoctrination violates Europe’s own values and international law. The PA and Hamas contravene the Fourth Geneva Conventions (Articles 4 and 13) and the Rome Statute (Articles 7, 8, and 25) – drafted by European states — which prohibit as “crimes against humanity” the incentivization of illegal violence, including murder, rape, torture, and other inhumane acts currently rewarded by the PA. Recognition of a Palestinian state would mean Europe violating the very legal order it helped build after 1945.
The PA’s highly organized “pay-for-slay” program is a direct violation of these standards. Moreover, under UNSCR 1373, any financial support to entities that sponsor, organize, or facilitate terrorism is prohibited — implicating not only the stipend program itself, but also any broader support for the PA.
This does not mean abandoning the Palestinians. On the contrary, it means taking their welfare seriously. Imposing statehood under a corrupt and discredited leadership will not improve daily life in Gaza or the West Bank. Real progress requires foundational reforms – above all in education, welfare, and governance.
The Palestinian people agree with this assessment. Recent polls indicate that a majority would either abstain from future elections (likely because of fear and distrust) or refuse to support any of the current parties. The next largest group continues to support Hamas – an EU-designated terrorist group. A significant majority of Palestinians support the actions of October 7th. The solution cannot be to impose on Palestinians a leadership they reject, nor to substitute it with a Western-imposed authority.
If we truly seek change in Gaza, the international community must unite behind far more decisive and meaningful action.
We need to believe in the Palestinian people to ensure them a future of prosperity. This cannot be achieved by bolstering either Hamas or the PA who have repeatedly disappointed their people. Instead, the solution must come from the global community — led by Arab nations —committed to implementing substantive reforms that genuinely improve life in Gaza and the West Bank.
The good news is that the Arab Gulf offers multiple examples of programs that proved successful in promoting moderate, multi-faith societies. Regional states must be engaged to promote a new Palestinian entity that is free of militant ambitions. Only then will the international community be able to judge whether Palestinians will have the system of governance needed to join the family of nations. The Palestinian people deserve our dedicated, sustained efforts. Only through such commitment can a brighter future become possible.
Sander Gerber is the CEO of Hudson Bay Capital and a Distinguished Fellow at JINSA’s Gemunder Center for Defense & Strategy.
Mike Pompeo served as the 70th United States Secretary of State.