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For decades, calls for the international community to recognize a Palestinian state or punish Israel with sanctions were treated as wishful thinking — noble slogans that echoed in the halls of diplomacy but rarely left a mark on policy. That era may finally be fading. Across Europe and beyond, there is a groundswell of voices — political, institutional and international — that are demanding Israel be held to account. Even the UN, which has long been accused of issuing toothless resolutions, is speaking in sharper terms, pushing the world to act rather than merely sympathize.

What sets this moment apart is not just the passion of the street or the outrage of civil society groups. Those have always been there. What is different now is that political institutions — parliaments, foreign ministries and, in some cases, entire governments — are daring to broach what was once taboo: formal recognition of Palestine and the serious consideration of sanctions against Israel. The comparisons to the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa are no longer confined to activists; they are surfacing in official debates.

In the past year, several European parliaments, from Dublin to Madrid, have pressed for Palestine to be recognized as a state. Many Western governments, including the UK, France, Canada and Australia, took that step at this week’s UN General Assembly. European ministers have even hinted — albeit cautiously — that sanctions could be an option if Israel stays on the course of destruction. That is not empty rhetoric. It represents a break from years of scripted statements that condemned violence but avoided accountability.

This change has been driven, above all, by the sheer scale of suffering in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023. Europeans who once turned a blind eye cannot ignore images of bombed-out hospitals, starving families and children buried under rubble. Millions have marched through the streets of London, Paris and Berlin demanding an end to complicity. That kind of mobilization is impossible for politicians to brush aside. To maintain credibility, they are being forced to respond.

Comparisons to the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa are no longer confined to activists; they are surfacing in official debates

Hani Hazaimeh

The shift is also visible at the UN. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in one of his strongest remarks to date, urged countries to be “bold” and not allow Israeli threats to dictate their response. This is more than moral rhetoric — it is an acknowledgment that the decades-old shield of impunity can no longer hold. Israel’s habit of bending international law without consequence is, at last, being called into question.

Even in Washington, where unconditional support for Israel has long been untouchable, faint cracks are appearing. A handful of voices in Congress and the Senate have dared to suggest recognition of Palestine and accountability for Israel’s crimes. These are still minority views, but the fact they exist at all is telling. American politics is not immune to pressure from public outrage and the images from Gaza have planted seeds that may grow with time.

The crucial question is whether this energy will be translated into policy or whether it will dissipate, as so many previous waves of outrage have. History offers a lesson here. Apartheid in South Africa did not collapse in a single moment; it fell under the cumulative weight of sanctions, boycotts and moral isolation that gathered force over many years. But that process began with brave voices that refused to be silenced. Today, we are witnessing the first stages of a similar reckoning.

Even in Washington, where unconditional support for Israel has long been untouchable, faint cracks are appearing

Hani Hazaimeh

Where does the Arab world fit into this? Frankly, its response has been timid. Statements of condemnation ring hollow when Gaza faces famine and relentless bombing. What is needed is coordinated action: boycotts, cases in international courts, the ending of arms deals with countries that fuel the occupation and, above all, a unified Arab front that adds weight to the growing international momentum. Without this, the Arab role risks being reduced to little more than background noise.

This is not a moment for hesitation. The world is moving and fear of Israeli pressure groups is no longer the insurmountable barrier it once was. In Europe, that fear is already eroding. In America, the silence is beginning to fracture. The international community must decide whether its laws and principles mean anything at all.

Recognition of Palestine, sanctions on Israel and an end to impunity are not fringe demands. They are the minimum test of whether justice still matters in global affairs. History will remember this moment clearly. Either the world acts or it colludes. There is no middle ground left.

• Hani Hazaimeh is a senior editor based in Amman. X: @hanihazaimeh