Alan Dershowitz argued Monday that a Palestinian state remains a distant possibility, asserting that the Palestinian people have failed to meet the fundamental prerequisites of governance and institution-building required for sovereignty.
Speaking on “The Record with Greta Van Susteren,” the Harvard Law professor emeritus dismissed the idea that statehood could be granted immediately. He insisted that legitimate sovereignty is the result of long-term development, drawing a sharp comparison to the historical trajectory of Israel.
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“They have to earn a state the way the Jewish people earned a state over hundreds of years of state building,” Dershowitz told Van Susteren. “You can’t just create a state out of nothing.”
Dershowitz’s comments come at a time when international momentum for recognition is shifting. As of September 2025, approximately 156 of the 193 United Nations member states recognize Palestine as a sovereign entity. Major Western powers, including France, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, signaled potential support for recognition during the UN General Assembly in September.
Despite this global trend, Dershowitz maintained that the current internal dynamics of Palestinian leadership make statehood impossible. He specifically cited the presence of Hamas and ongoing terrorism as disqualifying factors.
“Maybe someday there’ll be a Palestinian state, but it can be a state without terrorists, without Hamas, and without the current Palestinian leadership,” he said. “So I think it’s a possible dream for the future, but it’s not a reality in my lifetime.”
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When pressed on potential future leadership—specifically rumors surrounding Marwan Barghouti, a popular figure currently imprisoned—Dershowitz remained skeptical. While acknowledging Barghouti is viewed by some as a “great hope,” Dershowitz reiterated his core stance: “Look, Palestinians haven’t earned themselves a state.”
Domestic opinion in the United States appears to be diverging somewhat from Dershowitz’s hardline stance. A Reuters/Ipsos survey from October reported that 59% of Americans support formally recognizing a Palestinian state, a figure driven largely by shifting views on Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Broken down by party, 80% of Democrats and 41% of Republicans favored recognition.
However, the political landscape remains complex. An Emerson College poll released on October 17 found that Americans generally approve of how President Donald Trump has handled the ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
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