Diaa Rashwan. Photo: Al-Ahram
In a TV interview with Extra News on Tuesday evening, Rashwan explained that Israel’s relations are crucial not only for its military aid and funding but also for immigration, which is a cornerstone of the country’s population-building strategy.
He noted that Israel has historically relied on immigrants, especially from Western nations, to expand its population.
Rashwan said the growing recognition of Palestinian statehood marks a “considerable shift” in the world’s position on the decades-old conflict.
He stressed that every step toward recognizing a Palestinian state, no matter how small, adds to the long struggle for Palestinian rights on the international stage.
He also emphasized that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict cannot be resolved quickly, “like a knockout in a boxing match.” Instead, he said, a resolution will result from cumulative historical and political efforts.
At a UN conference on the two-state solution on Monday, France, Portugal, Luxembourg, Malta, and Monaco formally recognized Palestinian statehood.
On Sunday, Australia, Canada, and the UK made similar announcements.
These recognitions bring the number of UN member states recognizing Palestine to 159.
Rashwan said that the countries now recognizing Palestine, including the UK, France, and Spain, were key players in the creation of Israel and central to the Zionist project.
He noted that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's recognition comes 108 years after the Balfour Declaration, a landmark document in Israel’s establishment.
The SIS head explained that Britain's role has extended beyond the Balfour Declaration to include arming Zionist groups following its withdrawal from Palestine.
The French recognition is equally important, Rashwan stressed, recalling France’s strategic support for Israel, including during the Tripartite Aggression against Egypt, in the early stages of Israel’s nuclear programme, and in helping develop its security and intelligence services.
He also highlighted the importance of recognition from the Netherlands, Spain, and other European nations, citing their historical political, economic, and military backing of Israel.
Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, during a meeting with his British counterpart Yvette Cooper this week, said that expanding recognition of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital is “the only path to achieving security and stability for all peoples of the region.”
Abdelatty said the move sends an "extremely important message to the Palestinian people," showing the international community’s commitment to their aspirations and the establishment of an independent state.
He urged the global community to take decisive action to end Israel’s actions in the occupied territories, its war on Gaza, and its starvation policy against innocent civilians.
This wave of recognition comes amid growing international criticism of Israel’s two-year genocidal war on the Gaza Strip and Tel Aviv's efforts to annex the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Short link: