Staff Reports
In the latest episode of The Sunday Believing, host Peter Doocy took on one of the most pressing and divisive questions in international politics: the recognition of a Palestinian state by nations like the U.K., Australia, and Canada. While progressive leaders herald the move as a “step toward peace,” critics argue it sends an entirely different message by legitimizing a territory dominated by Hamas, a terrorist group with American blood on its hands. The conversation, featuring well-known commentator Ben Shapiro, shed light on how much is being ignored in the rush to reward Palestine with statehood.
Shapiro was blunt in his assessment. He argued that acknowledging a Palestinian state without defined borders, a functioning government, or accountability to its people is reckless in the extreme. More troubling, he noted, is that Hamas—an organization still holding hostages—would stand to benefit politically and financially from such recognition. This, Shapiro said, doesn’t encourage peace but instead validates violence and terror tactics. For conservatives who view national security as non-negotiable, rewarding Hamas risks emboldening America’s enemies and undermining the moral clarity necessary to stabilize the region.
Doocy pressed the issue even further, asking why these announcements came now and why Western nations waited until after President Trump took office to pursue such recognition. The timing, Shapiro explained, is no accident. With Trump projecting strength and clarity on terrorism, some foreign leaders seem eager to hedge against his policies by making symbolic gestures to placate activist bases at home. While progressives call such moves “diplomatic milestones,” Shapiro insists that only tough, uncompromising policies backed by military pressure hold any real promise of peace in the Middle East.
The episode also addressed the somber national moment following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a monumental figure in shaping conservative thought and mobilizing young Americans. Thousands gathered at a memorial to honor Kirk’s legacy, remembering not just his influence on policy and commentary but his role in energizing a new generation to challenge left-wing dominance on college campuses. For those in attendance—including several high-profile political leaders—Kirk’s life symbolized the power of bold, unapologetic advocacy for American values in an era of deep cultural division.
Kirk’s tragic loss has laid bare just how sharp those divisions have become. Shapiro noted with concern the disturbing tendency among some Democrats to either excuse political violence or remain noticeably silent when the victims are conservative voices. Meanwhile, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez voiced her own suspicions that Kirk’s memory could be “politically weaponized,” a comment that many conservatives saw as trivializing his murder. The juxtaposition of global debates over Palestinian recognition with national mourning for a conservative leader revealed one clear truth: America’s culture wars are not slowing down. Whether it’s foreign policy or domestic tragedy, the battle lines are drawn, and the fight over values, security, and moral clarity remains defining for the nation’s future.
