Israel’s foreign minister has privately warned representatives of multiple foreign nations that Jerusalem is prepared to apply sovereignty over parts of Judea and Samaria, should a bid to gain global recognition for Palestinian statehood succeed.

Currently, 147 countries around the world, representing some three-quarters of all United Nations member states, have declared their recognition of Palestinian statehood.

However, much of the industrialized world, including most Western nations, have not recognized the Palestine Liberation Organization’s 1988 unilateral claim to statehood.

The United States, Britain, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Germany, France, and most of the European Union member states currently do not recognize Palestinian statehood, and have in the past rejected unilateral steps by either the Palestinian Authority or Israel to alter the status quo, calling instead for a negotiated settlement.

Recently, however, French President Emmanuel Macron has signalled his willingness to back unilateral Palestinian statehood.

Along with Saudi Arabia, France has called for an international summit at the United Nations on June 17th through the 18th, aimed at drafting a declaration expressing global recognition of the Palestinian Authority as an independent state.

While some key international powers, including Germany, have signaled their opposition to the move, others, including Britain, are mulling support for unilateral steps against Israel, as a form of protest against the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar (New Hope) has lobbied foreign powers to reject the French-Saudi initiative.

According to a report by Israel Hayom, Sa’ar has privately warned foreign leaders that should the summit succeed, Israel will respond with its own unilateral moves – specifically, applying sovereignty over parts of Judea and Samaria.

“Unilateral moves against Israel will be met with unilateral moves by Israel,” Sa’ar was quoted as saying.

Image - Yonatan Sindel/Flash90