Jerusalem: Two Israeli lawmakers vocally demanded US recognition of Palestinian statehood as US President Donald Trump addressed the Knesset on Monday. During his speech, Ayman Odeh and Ofer Cassif of the left-wing Hadash Party were seen chanting slogans and denouncing what they termed the Gaza genocide. Their protest included raising a paper banner that read 'recognize Palestine,' leading to their removal from the Knesset plenum.

According to Anadolu Agency, the US has consistently refused to recognize a Palestinian state, despite 159 out of 193 UN member states having officially done so. Last month, 11 countries, including the UK, Canada, Australia, and France, among others, formalized their recognition of Palestine during the UN General Assembly meetings.

The response to Trump's speech at the Knesset was largely positive, with frequent applause directed towards his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This visit to Israel comes after the release of 20 Israeli hostages by Hamas under a Gaza ceasefire agreement. Trump is expected to continue his diplomatic efforts by attending a peace conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

The situation in Gaza remains dire, with reports indicating that since October 2023, Israeli attacks have resulted in the deaths of more than 67,800 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, leaving the area largely uninhabitable.