On the 22nd, Spain, Norway, and Ireland officially announced that they recognized Palestine as an independent state. Western nations are expressing their support for a two-state solution, putting Israel, which is waging war, on the defensive.
According to Reuters, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre held a press conference that day, stating, “Starting the 28th, we officially recognize Palestine as an independent state” and “Palestinians have the basic right to an independent state.” Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris also announced on the same day, “Today, Ireland, Norway, and Spain are announcing that we recognize Palestine as a state,” and “We will take necessary measures to validate this decision.” He emphasized, “In the next few weeks, I have confidence that other countries will join us in recognizing Palestine’s statehood.” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also forecasted in a parliamentary speech, “The Spanish Cabinet will approve the recognition of the Palestinian state on the 28th.”
As the campaign to recognize Palestine as an independent state gained momentum in Europe, Israel swiftly voiced its opposition. Prime Minister Netanyahu described the establishment of a Palestinian state as an “existential threat” to Israel. In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry summoned the ambassadors of Spain, Ireland, and Norway to express its protest.
Israel Katz, Foreign Minister of Israel, strongly criticized the European countries’ actions, accusing them of rewarding what he referred to as “Hamas murderers and rapists,” a term he used to describe the armed Palestinian group. On the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Katz warned that recognizing a Palestinian state could lead to “regional terror and uncertainty,” undermining any peace prospects. He also stated that “Israel will not remain silent” and hinted at “more serious consequences.”
Meanwhile, both the Palestinian Authority (PA), which administers the West Bank, and Hamas welcomed the recognition by these countries.
So far, 139 out of 193 UN member countries have recognized Palestine as a state. Within the EU, nine Eastern and Northern European member states, including Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Sweden, have done the same. In addition, Slovenia and Malta have also announced plans to follow suit. However, major EU countries like France are maintaining a cautious stance between Israel and Palestine.
On the 10th, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution recommending that the UN Security Council positively review Palestine’s membership following the UN Charter, stating that Palestine fully qualifies to join as a member. They have also decided to grant Palestine a new right to participate in the UN General Assembly and various UN meetings. Palestine applied for UN membership in 2011 to gain independent state status, but it was thwarted by US opposition. The following year, in 2012, it was promoted from an observer entity to an observer state at the UN General Assembly and has maintained this status ever since.
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