The leaders of Norway, Ireland and Spain announced Wednesday, May 22, that their countries will recognize a Palestinian state within days. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said their countries would make recognition official on May 28, in a joint move with Ireland, whose leader Simon Harris said he expected other countries to join an upswell of support for Palestinian statehood in the coming weeks.
Several European Union countries have in the past weeks indicated that they plan to declare their recognition of a Palestinian state, arguing a two-state solution is essential for lasting peace in the region.
The Israeli far-right government responded angrily to the announcements, recalling its ambassadors from Ireland, Spain and Norway for immediate consultations. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich demanded “harsh punitive measures” against the Palestinian Authority (PA), announcing that he will cut off the transfer of tax funds to the Palestinian government. He called for voiding a mechanism set up with Norway to facilitate the transfer of salaries to PA employees in Gaza and demanded that Israel approve thousands of new settlement homes in the occupied West Bank.
However, Hadash and the Communist Party of Israel applauded Spain, Norway, and Ireland’s historic recognition of the State of Palestine. “The recognition sends a message to the Israeli government and its American supporters that a large global majority rejects the Israeli occupation and Israel’s war of destruction in Gaza,” said in a joint communique.
“This wave of recognition of Palestine should not be seen as a diplomatic crisis but as an opportunity for peace. It signals to Israel that if it turns toward peace and co-existence alongside an independent, sovereign, and equal state of Palestine, it will live in peace with the region and with the world.”
A Partnership for Peace demonstration held in front of the US and French embassies in Tel-Aviv for the recognition of the Palestinian state, March 15, 2024 (Photo: Zo Haderech)
“We call upon other states, and especially the permanent Security Council members France, the U.K., and the U.S., to recognize a Palestinian state on the 1967 lines. Only Palestinian independence and the recognition of the rights of the Palestinian people’s struggle against the occupation could guarantee peace and security in the region.” MK Ofer Cassif (Hadash), added, “Against the persecutions, the attempts to wipe out Palestinians’ identity and even their lives, more and more nations are recognizing a Palestinian state. I welcome this and thank them – Spain, Norway, Ireland, and soon many more. I salute you.”
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stated on Wednesday that Spain, Norway and Ireland’s recognition of the Palestinian state was a great step that contributes to promoting peace and justice. In a phone call with Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez, President Abbas thanked Sánchez for his country’s courageous positions to recognize the State of Palestine, as he affirmed that this great step would contribute to the promotion of peace and justice as well as to the realization of the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.
He also affirmed that this step would further the implementation of the political solution based on the United Nations resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, while expressing hope that Ireland, Spain and Norway’s recognition of the State of Palestine would a beacon of hope that more European states would follow suit and support Palestine’s bid for full membership in the UN, and thus contributing to peacemaking.
President Abbas reaffirmed the need to halt “the incessant Israeli genocidal offensive on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and expedite the entry of humanitarian aid to the blockaded Strip to avert the risk of famine, particularly that the occupation forces continue to control and seal off all border crossings to the Strip.”
Earlier this month, Slovenia initiated the procedure for the recognition of a Palestinian state as a form of leverage to end the deadly war in Gaza. Prime Minister Robert Golob said June 13 is the latest his country would recognize a Palestinian state. Eight European Union countries recognize a Palestinian state — Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Sweden. Malta recognizes the concept of one and has indicated it may soon recognize a state, along with Slovenia. Around 144 out of 193 member-states of the United Nations already recognize a Palestinian state, including most of the global south, Russia, China and India, but only a handful of 27 EU members have so far done so.
Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?p=31847
