Part 3/10:
Patterson underscores concerns that immediate recognition risks legitimizing a Palestinian state governed by entities that maintain hostile and violent attitudes toward Israel. He highlights that Hamas, the governing authority in Gaza, remains designated as a terrorist organization that continues to hold Israeli hostages, rejects Israel’s right to exist, and has historically used violence—including suicide bombings and other attacks—to pursue its goals.
He further elaborates that because Hamas has shown no interest in demilitarization and continues to assert its aims of Israel’s destruction, recognizing Palestine prematurely would strip the international community of leverage to influence Palestinian political direction in peace negotiations.