Recognizing Palestine? 'It may be a punishment for Netanyahu, but it's a big prize for Israel'

Israel is swimming in unprecedented diplomatic waters. Last week, Germany announced it will restrict arms exports to Israel, and a growing number of world leaders – led by France and the U.K. – are declaring their intention to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state. 

“We are hearing things that we never heard from great friends of Israel,” said Nadav Tamir, the executive director of J Street Israel, speaking on the Haaretz Podcast. 

Tamir, a former Israeli consul-general in Boston and aide to Israel’s late president Shimon Peres, noted that these allies “were working tirelessly for the release of hostages” and continue to declare “time and time again that Israel has a full right to protect itself after the horrible massacre of October 7 and against Iran and Hezbollah. But they cannot support this war any longer, because it is so clear to them, just like it's clear to most Israelis, that this war has no purpose and is only continuing for political reasons.” 

Tamir says that recognizing a Palestinian state nor limiting arms exports is not a punishment against the Israeli people.

“Maybe they see it as punishment for Netanyahu, but as a Zionist Israeli, I see it as a big prize for us,” Tamir said. “I think that a Palestinian state is first and foremost an Israeli interest. There is no way Israel could remain the homeland of the Jewish people and a democracy if there will be no Palestinian state."

In his conversation with podcast host Allison Kaplan Sommer, Tamir also discussed the controversial remarks by J Street President Jeremy Ben Ami regarding the use of the term genocide, whether Israelis should give up on the idea of President Donald Trump restraining Netanyahu, and what Tamir’s former boss Shimon Peres would think of Israel’s current predicament. 

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