WASHINGTON—Daniel Flesch, senior policy analyst for Middle East and North Africa at The Heritage Foundation, released the following statement today in response to the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Portugal and France rewarding Hamas with a recognition of Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA):
“The 80th UNGA will mark a new low in the theater of the absurd that is the United Nations. Prime Ministers Starmer, Albanese, Carney, and Montenegro, and President Macron choose political self-destruction as they legitimize terrorism for the sake of far-Left theatrics.
“This grandstanding not only does nothing to change the lives of the Palestinian people, but it also rewards terrorism. The move directly undermines legitimate diplomatic efforts by the United States and our allies to recover the bodies of U.S. citizens still held by Hamas, as well as see all the remaining Israeli captives released, and Hamas defeated.
“The U.K., Canada, Australia, Portugal and France have made their positions clear: rather than Oct. 7 being remembered as the beginning of the end of the Palestinian goal of defeating Israel, they would have it be remembered as Palestinian Independence Day, just as Yahya Sinwar—architect of the deadliest day of the Jewish people since the Holocaust—envisioned.”
The Heritage Foundation remains committed to supporting efforts that strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship and combat the influence of terrorist organizations like Hamas at home, and abroad.
