Why Czechia is holding back on recognizing a Palestinian state

While other countries, including Australia, Britain, and Canada, formally recognized the State of Palestine this weekend, the Czech Republic said it is not planning to do so at this time.

Czech diplomacy stressed that Palestinian statehood must result from direct negotiations with Israel, which remain impossible while the Gaza Strip is controlled by the Hamas terrorist movement.

The Czech Foreign Ministry reiterated that it supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but emphasized that recognition should follow tangible progress in negotiations rather than being a political declaration.

Czech President Petr Pavel said the process must include Israel and meet at least the basic conditions to avoid raising expectations that could complicate future talks.

The announcement comes amid reports that the Italian port of Ravenna blocked two trucks carrying explosives reportedly originating from Czechia en route to Israel.

Ravenna Mayor Alessandro Barattoni confirmed that the port authority denied access at the request of local authorities, though the exact contents and origin of the containers have not been independently verified.

“The Italian state says it has stopped the sale of weapons to Israel, but it is unacceptable that because of bureaucratic loopholes, these weapons can pass through Italy from other countries,” Barattoni said.

Israeli shipping company ZIM was scheduled to transport the explosives from the Adriatic port to Haifa. The Czech Foreign Ministry said it had no further information on the case and had not been contacted about the shipment.

Italy’s action reflects growing domestic opposition to the Israeli offensive in Gaza, with trade unions staging nationwide strikes in support of Palestinians and calling on the government to halt military cooperation with Israel until the conflict ends.

President Pavel will lead the Czech delegation at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday where the Middle East conflict will be one of the topics under discussion.

“In any case, neither side, and I mean those extreme views, can count on the problem being solved by the displacement or liquidation of the other, that is a solution without future,” Pavel said.

Since the outbreak of war in October 2023, more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to Hamas-controlled authorities.

The UN has called most casualties civilians, and its Independent Commission of Inquiry for the occupied Palestinian territories recently said Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.