recognizing the obvious

while i'm all for a palestinian state, i don't see the point in recognizing one before it is even declared. besides, what does it mean to recognize a country that, for all practical purposes, has neither independence nor real sovereignty? i realize the move is viewed as a pro-palestinian thing, all it really does is implicitly let israel off the hook. if the west bank is an independent country, then israel no longer has responsibility for the people who in reality are still living under israeli occupation.