A people without a land…
JVL Introduction
John Feffer takes a sober look at two contrasting realities.
On the one hand, international recognition of Palestine is at an all time high with 157 states recognising it by the end of 2025.
On the other, says Feffer, “the territory that could be included in such a state is disappearing like sand in an hourglass”.
While the Israeli right still only dreams of resettling Gaza, its takeover in the West Bank is galloping ahead.
The regional order, too, has been disrupted – and not in Palestine’s favour, with many states now in Trump’s fold.
Within Israel the political elite, in and out of government, largely shares Netanyahu’s rejection of Palestinian statehood as does over two-thirds of the Israeli public.
The Palestinians are indeed in danger of becoming a people without a land… They urgently need to find the space to recuperate and rebuild.
RK
This article was originally published by Foreign Policy in Focus on Wed 11 Feb 2026. Read the original here.
The disappearance of Palestine?
International support for a Palestinian state has never been stronger, but the territory that could be included in such a state is disappearing like sand in an hourglass.
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International support of Palestine may be at an ” all time high “.. but it’s lip service. Nothing has changed.. except Politicians are trying to whitewash their support for Israel because their voters are now aware of the TRUTH about Israel & its Infiltration of our Governments.. The UN on practically a daily basis reports & condemns another Israeli atrocity BUT still nothing is actually done… have those UN members just cleared their consciences ? Because apart from Francesca Albanese and a tiny band of others the UN is a laughing stock.. . Every day more Palestinians are killed & more of Palestine is taken by Israel.. and still we’re just TALKING about it.
This reality is depressing for those of us in the outside world who can only look on, powerless, as Palestinian land is stolen every day and no powerful nation lifts a finger to stop it. No politician seems to have the negotiating skills to arrive at a reasonable compromise that will allow Palestinian sovereignty and Israeli security.
I had never heard of “Foreign Policy in Focus”, but this reads like an illustrated talk in a Gentleman’s Club somewhere near Regent Street.
It does usefully refer to the gutting of language where the Palestinians are concerned:
a “state” doesn’t imply sovereignty, least of all as understood in Westphalia;
a “ceasefire” doesn’t mean you have to cease firing;
“recognition” is a label that doesn’t suggest that there are any real-world consequences that ensue from its attachment;
“peace” means acquiescence and subjugation;
“terrorist” refers to someone contesting my will and, therefore, someone you should be happy to see punished;
“facts on the ground” was Ariel Sharon’s favourite phrase that suggested a contempt for abstract concepts like justice and fairness in favour of the reality of materiality;
So, Saudi Arabia doesn’t “recognise” Israel, but understands only too well its power and who its friends are and what gain can be made in cooperation with it.
The final straw? The Palestinians might be able to emulate the native Americans in holding on to some land as they produce their tatreez for the tourists visiting Kushner’s Riviera sci-fi skyscrapers.