Colin Sheridan: The mythical 'two-state solution' for Israel-Palestine is just that — a myth

The term regularly bandied about by world leaders, including our own Taoiseach, as a totem of how much they care is at best ignorant, at worst contemptuous in its opportunism

Taoiseach Simon Harris, Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan at the announcement that Ireland will officially recognise the state of Palestine. Picture: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie

Beware strangers bearing gifts. While the International Criminal Court and the nations of Spain, Norway and Ireland could hardly be accused of deliberately aiming to harm the cause of Palestinian people in their struggle for self-determination, their high-profile, much-lauded interventions this week may not be helping half as much as the headlines would have us think. 

On Wednesday, Taoiseach Simon Harris announced Ireland was formally recognising the state of Palestine. Lest we get carried away with ourselves, it should be noted that before Wednesday, 139 out of 193 United Nation member countries had already chosen to recognise the state.