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🇦🇺 Australia /Elections & Politics

Prospects for Palestinian statehood 'disappearing', former world leaders say

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Former world leaders Mary Robinson and Helen Clark warn that prospects for Palestinian statehood are "disappearing."
  • They cite Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank and incitement against Palestinians, particularly by ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, as key concerns.
  • The former leaders, part of "The Elders" group, observed a "systemic" issue of settler violence and complicity with the military during their recent tour.

The prospects for Palestinian statehood and a future for its people are rapidly diminishing, according to former world leaders Mary Robinson and Helen Clark.

It doesn't seem to be individual acts of terrorism by individual settlers anymore, it's systemic.

— Mary RobinsonDescribing the nature of settler violence in the West Bank.

Robinson, Ireland's first female president, and Clark, New Zealand's former prime minister, issued the warning after touring Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and the occupied West Bank. As members of "The Elders," a group founded by Nelson Mandela, they expressed grave concerns about the expansion of Israeli settlements and what they described as incitement to violence against Palestinians.

Robinson stated that the situation for Palestinians in the West Bank is "so much worse" than during her previous visit in 2023. She characterized settler violence not as isolated incidents but as "systemic," pointing to explicit hate speech from ministers like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose language she found dehumanizing and indicative of annexation desires. Robinson also noted apparent complicity between the military and settlers.

First of all, it's the explicit hate speech, both of Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, language that would not be normal in any government from ministers, and dehumanising and making it quite clear that they want to annex the whole of the West Bank.

— Mary RobinsonCommenting on the rhetoric and intentions of Israeli ministers.

Settler violence in the West Bank has surged significantly since October 7, 2023. The UN has recorded high monthly figures, with over 760 incidents reported from January to May 2026, resulting in Palestinian injuries or property damage. This occurs despite the International Court of Justice ruling Israel's occupation unlawful, a decision Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected.

Then you have the complicity that we heard about between the military and the settlers, that sometimes they seem to be exchangeable.

— Mary RobinsonHighlighting perceived cooperation between the military and settlers.

During its previous term, the Netanyahu government approved over 100 new settlements. Robinson and Clark warned that "Palestine will disappear before our eyes" if this process of settlement and annexation continues unabated.

It breaks my heart.

— Mary RobinsonExpressing her emotional response to the situation.
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Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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