Srinagar, Sept. 23 -- At the United Nations this week, history has edged forward. Britain, Australia, Canada, and Portugal followed by France have recognized the State of Palestine. This is a seismic shift. Western powers had so far resisted such a move, insisting recognition should only emerge from a negotiated settlement. But such a negotiation never came about, yielding only stalemate and suffering. Now, with Gaza in ruins after nearly two years of war and a solution slipping further out of reach, recognition marks a profound - albeit symbolic - shift in global diplomacy.

But for Palestinians, this moment is more than symbolic. It is an affirmation of their existence, their right to self-determination, and their decades-long struggle ...