Palestinian foreign minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin says sympathy for Palestinians is growing internationally, but warns Israel will not change course unless it pays a real price.
Shahin says countries including Spain, Germany and the Netherlands are taking clearer positions on Israeli occupation and settlements. Shahin urges sanctions and legal action, saying Israel has become accustomed to impunity.
Shahin says a noticeable shift is emerging in the positions of several countries, particularly in Europe, regarding the Israeli occupation and illegal settlements, but stressed that this change must be translated into “practical measures on the ground”.
In an interview with Anadolu, Shahin says there is “a growing trend toward Israel’s international isolation and greater sympathy for Palestinians”, but warned that expressions of sympathy alone are no longer sufficient.
“The Palestinian issue is clear to the entire world and no longer needs more explanation,” says Shahin, adding that what is lacking today is not understanding, but “the political will to turn that understanding into practical steps.”
The world, she says, “fully understands what is happening in both the West Bank and Gaza,” but continues to limit its response to statements of condemnation.
“What is needed now are practical decisions, not more statements,” she added.
Shahin says there has been a “noticeable change” in the rhetoric of several countries, particularly in Europe, where governments have become “more explicit” in describing Israeli occupation, settlements and occupier violence.
Spain has been “at the forefront in calling for concrete action”, while Germany has also begun speaking “more openly about the occupation, settlements and attacks by Israeli settlers.”
The Netherlands and other countries are also adopting more advanced positions, she added. Shahin described this shift as significant and worth building on, but says it remains “below the level required”.
“We need to accelerate this process and turn it into tangible steps on the ground,” she says.
According to Shahin, the current moment requires a transition from expressions of solidarity to real accountability.
“Israel does not respond unless there is a real price to pay,” she said, warning that reliance on condemnation alone only “encourages further violations”. “When there is no accountability, violations continue. This is what we have seen for many years, because Israel has become accustomed to impunity,” she added.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, but neither has been arrested.
Shahin says Palestinians are calling for clear measures, “whether through sanctions, legal action or diplomatic steps that reflect the seriousness of the international community”.
“International law is clear, but the problem lies in its implementation. Shahin says Palestinian diplomacy is moving intensively across international forums to push for stronger action.
She says Palestinian officials “are working at the United Nations and the Human Rights Council, while presenting files related to settlements, attacks by Israeli settlers, freedom of worship and the prisoners’ law”.
These efforts, she added, extend beyond international organisations to include direct engagement with governments and parliaments worldwide. According to Shahin, these efforts have already led to important decisions, but the current stage requires more than decisions. “We need implementation”.
Shahin linked the urgency of international action to the deteriorating situation on the ground, particularly in the occupied West Bank.
“There is continued settlement expansion, repeated attacks by Israeli settlers and growing restrictions on the daily lives of Palestinians,” she said.
According to Shahin, Palestinians are facing some of the greatest pressure in decades, with the current phase carrying existential implications.
“The world cannot continue watching this reality without real intervention,” she added.
Her remarks come as Israeli military raids and attacks by Israeli occupiers in the occupied West Bank have intensified sharply since October 2023, fuelling Palestinian fears of a de facto annexation.
Shahin says annexation is not a future possibility, but an ongoing reality.
“Annexation never stopped. What we are seeing today is the gradual consolidation of this reality,” she said. “The discussion of annexation is not new, but today we are seeing a faster effort to impose it on the ground,” she added.
Palestinians warn that these measures are paving the way for Israel to formally annex the occupied West Bank, ending prospects for a Palestinian state. – AA
