U.S. State Dept weighs possible recognition of Palestinian state - report

The United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken asked the State Department to review policy options on possible U.S. and international recognition of a Palestinian state after the Israel-Hamas war ends, Axios said on Wednesday citing two U.S. officials briefed on the issue.

If true, such step could indicate a shift in Washington's Middle Eastern approach, noted the report. According to Axios' source, "efforts to find a diplomatic way out of the war in Gaza has opened the door for rethinking a lot of old U.S. paradigms and policies."

The report claims that there are voices within the U.S. President Joe Biden's administrations that are now thinking recognition of a Palestinian state could be the first step in negotiations that would "resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict instead of the last."

The Israel-Saudi relations also appear to play a role in this change of thinking as Riyadh has openly reiterated on multiple occasions that any potential normalization would be conditioned on the "irrevocable" steps towards a Palestinian state.

Arab security officials reportedly earlier in January held a secret meeting over the post-war Gaza, hosted by Riyadh, possibly indicating increased coordination between Saudi Arabia and the Palestinian Authority (PA).

The Axios report outlines three options seen in the Biden administration: "bilaterally recognizing the state of Palestine, not using its veto to block the [United Nations] UN Security Council from admitting Palestine as a full UN member state, or encouraging other countries to recognize Palestine."

Meanwhile, Blinken is also said to have asked to review other issues. For one, the State Department is reportedly examining what a "demilitarized Palestinian state would look like" based on other examples from around the world.

The purpose of this review is said to assure security of Israel while implementing the two-state solution.

A White House National Security Council spokesperson reiterated it "has been longstanding U.S. policy that any recognition of a Palestinian state must come through direct negotiations between the parties rather than through unilateral recognition at the UN. That policy has not changed."

The report comes amid the rising U.S.-Iran tensions as Washington is said to plan extensive retaliation against Iran-backed militants after the deadly attack on its base in Jordan.

Blinken is said to plan his sixth visit since the start of the Israel-Hamas war during the upcoming weekend.

See more updates on the Israel-Hamas war

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