‘Establish Palestine in London and Paris,’ Israeli lawmaker tells UN gathering

Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana blasts France and UK over plans to recognize unilateral Palestinian statehood, telling inter-parliamentary union that European countries should cede their own territory for Palestinian state.

By World Israel News Staff

The Speaker of the Knesset castigated Britain and France on Wednesday over their plans to recognize unilateral Palestinian statehood, suggesting the two countries cede their own territory to establish the new state.

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana spoke at the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva, organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union in collaboration with the United Nations.

Officials representing Iran, Yemen and the Palestinian Authority boycotted the address, leaving the hall in protest of Ohana’s speech.

During his address, Ohana reiterated Israel’s protest of plans by Britain and France to recognize unilateral Palestinian statehood in September, calling the move a reward for Hamas’ invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023.

“Rewarding Hamas by recognizing a Palestinian state in light of October 7 will not bring stability, coexistence and cooperation. It will bring more murder of Israelis and Jews,” Ohana said.

The Knesset speaker mocked the planned recognition, which Israel has said would have no impact on the status quo in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, with Ohana suggesting Britain and France offer their own capitals for a future Palestinian state.

“If you wish for that, if you wish what you call a Palestinian state, put it up in London, Paris, in your countries, which become more and more similar to the Middle East.”

Ohana warned that European pressure on Israel has hampered efforts to conclude the war in Gaza.

“The so-called peace that some European countries advocate will only result in more war. But the war we are fighting will result in peace.”

“Stand for truth over propaganda,” Ohana continued, urging European powers to “stand on the right side of history – our side.”

Ohana condemned the recent use by multiple media outlets – including The New York Times and The Spectator – of photographs of a Gazan toddler born with cerebral palsy to bolster false claims of a famine in the Gaza Strip.

“This claim is false. The child suffers from cerebral palsy. Even the New York Times admitted that today.”

Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al‑Matouq, an 18-month-old Gazan child, was photographed by the Times and The Spectator to portray the impact of the alleged famine in Gaza, despite his emaciated figure being the result of pre-existing conditions, including cerebral palsy and hypoxemia.

During his speech, Ohana also addressed chants by Iran’s parliament of “Death to Israel” and “Death to America,” comparing the calls for the destruction of the two countries to genocidal rhetoric in Nazi Germany prior to the Holocaust.