Thousands of Israelis back petition calling for recognition of Palestinian state, end to Gaza war

More than 7,500 Israelis have signed a petition urging recognition of a Palestinian state and an end to Israel's war in Gaza, an Israeli advocacy group said on Wednesday.

The petition was launched by Zazim, a Jewish-Arab grassroots movement, which said the initiative seeks to send "a clear, united Israeli message to the international community" before the UN General Assembly meets in New York on Sept. 22.

Organizers said they expect the number of signatories to exceed 10,000 before the session convenes.

"The recognition of a Palestinian state is not meant as punishment for Israel, but as a step toward a better future based on mutual recognition and security for both peoples," the petition reads.

Zazim warned that without such recognition, Israel risks following the path advocated by far-right ministers such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for "annexation, apartheid, and the continuation of war."

Smotrich and other members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government have repeatedly called for the annexation of the occupied West Bank, a move critics say would permanently close the door on a two-state solution.

Since the start of Israel's genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, at least 1,022 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,000 injured in the occupied West Bank by Israeli forces and illegal settlers, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Israel's terror campaign in the West Bank is meant to drive Palestinians off their land, making the two-state solution impossible, according to Palestinian officials.

In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory illegal. It demanded the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.