The State Department is apparently exploring various avenues for recognizing a Palestinian state via means that would upend longstanding U.S. policy and essentially reward Hamas for launching a terror attack on October 7 and kicking off a war with Israel.

The fact that the State Department is even considering it was initially scooped by Axios, which wrote "While U.S. officials say there has been no policy change, the fact the State Department is even considering such options signals a shift in thinking within the Biden administration on possible Palestinian statehood recognition, which is highly sensitive both internationally and domestically."

"Highly sensitive" is still quite an understatement. It would send the message to terrorists all over the world that the United States of America will reward their evil actions if their attacks are simply directed at the Jews.

My colleague, Streiff, summarized the problems with this (potential) shift in policy yesterday.

There are three sticking points. First, the boundaries of this new terrorist empire have to be set. No one knows what that would look like. Second, the obvious impact of what will be an Iranian-controlled terror state bordering Israel that could have mutual defense treaties with other nations hostile to Israel and UN representation doesn't seem to have been considered. Third, everyone appears to be assuming away the high probability that Israel will refuse to accept this terror state.

If this happens, it effectively kills Trump's Abraham Accords by bringing Palestinian demands back to the center of Middle East geopolitics. It will be nearly impossible for any Arab nation to continue relations with Israel if Israel refuses to accept the strategy of rolling bilateral recognition agreements that the White House envisages.

Unless this is derailed, we have effectively abandoned our tacit alliance with Israel and handed a massive strategic victory to the country that will control the government in this new state.

READ MORE: US Considering Recognizing Palestinian State Without Negotiations With Israel

True to form, the Biden administration doesn't seem to know what in the hell it's actually doing when it comes to foreign policy (or domestic policy, for that matter, but that's not relevant to this conversation). A National Security Council spokesperson told Axios it "has been longstanding U.S. policy that any recognition of a Palestinian state must come through direct negotiations between the parties rather than through unilateral recognition at the UN. That policy has not changed."

So the State Department and the National Security Council aren't talking to each other? That bodes well.

Recognition of a Palestinian State after what Hamas did, with the help of Iran no less, is enabling terrorism in the Middle East and across the world. Hamas started this war with a terror attack that killed hundreds. They raped women, defiled the bodies of those they killed, took and later killed hostages, and have routinely stolen from their own people in order to create weapons to launch more terror attacks. These are not the actions of people who deserve statehood in the international community. They are the actions of a group of terrorists who should be eradicated.

Recognizing Palestinian statehood is just one of a "big menu of options," according to the sources who spoke to Axios. But it should not be an option. They should not be rewarded for routinely targeting Israeli civilians in their attacks. They should not be given recognition over an area they don't so much control as much as they rob. The people of Gaza live in poverty because the ruling class, Hamas, takes all resources meant for their citizens and uses those resources to take part in terrorism.

A responsible State Department would hear this suggestion of recognizing Palestinian statehood and dismiss it immediately. But if there is one thing the Biden administration is not, it's responsible.