Explainer: Why the US doesn't recognise Palestine

The United States (US) released its 2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices on Monday (20 March). The reports cover 198 countries and territories, providing factual, objective information based on credible reports of the events that occurred throughout 2022. But it doesn't include Palestine as the US doesn't recognise it as a state. Instead, the report has a section on, "Israel, West Bank and Gaza".

This gesticulates the question as to why the US doesn't recognise Palestine

Palestine is a state located in Western Asia; the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip is its territory, though the entirety of that territory has been under Israeli occupation since the 1967. US has historically taken a nuanced approach to the issue of Palestine and its recognition as a state. The conflict between Israel and Palestine is a complex and long-standing issue, and there are a variety of factors that have influenced the US position on Palestine.

The close relationship between the US and Israel is one key factor in this case as the US has been a strong supporter of Israel since its founding in 1948, and this support has continued through decades of conflict in the region. Washington has provided significant military and economic aid to Israel over the years, and many US policymakers view Israel as a key ally in the Middle East.

However, in Israel this month, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told Israeli leaders to reduce West Bank tensions. Washington was especially disturbed by settler violence against Palestinians, he added.

Another factor is the political situation in Palestine itself. The US has expressed concerns about the political stability of the region and has been reluctant to recognise a Palestinian state until there is a unified Palestinian government. There are ongoing disputes within the Palestinian leadership, and the Palestinian territories are currently divided between the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and the Palestinian Authority-controlled West Bank.

Within the international community too there is no uniformity reharding about the status of Palestine. While the United Nations General Assembly has recognised Palestine as a non-member observer state, the US has not followed suit. Some countries, including Israel, argue that recognition of Palestine would undermine the prospects for a negotiated settlement to the conflict.

Overall, the issue of Palestine's recognition is a complex and politically sensitive one, and the US position on this issue is shaped by a variety of factors, including its close relationship with Israel, concerns about the political situation in Palestine, and disagreements within the international community.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International has said the armed conflict between Israel and Palestinian groups in entailed apparent war crimes and possible crimes against humanity. It adds that Israeli authorities subject Palestinians to forced evictions, arbitrary detention, torture and other ill-treatment, all committed with almost total impunity. Israel's discriminatory system of governing Palestinians in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories constituted apartheid, a crime under international law.