The measure was announced this Wednesday (May 22) by Norway, Ireland and Spain; for Israel, decision shows that “terrorism pays”
Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim classified the recognition of the Palestinian state by European countries as a “March” politician. According to him, the “courageous resistance” from the Palestinian people encouraged Norway, Ireland and Spain to announce the measure.
“These successive recognitions are the direct result of this courageous resistance and the legendary steadfastness of the Palestinian people.,” Naim told AFP this Wednesday (May 22, 2024). “We believe that this will be a milestone in the international position on the Palestinian issue.”
Earlier, Norway, Ireland and Spain said they will recognize, from May 28, the State of Palestine. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre declared that “There can be no peace in the Middle East if there is no recognition”.
The Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, stated that “The time has come to move from words to action”. According to the Prime Minister of Ireland, Simon Harris, the measure “sends the message that there is a viable alternative to Hamas’s nihilism”.
In response, the Israeli government ordered the country’s ambassadors to Norway and Ireland to immediately return to Israel and said it would do the same in the case of Spain, according to the digital newspaper Political.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz stated that the countries intend to send a message to the Palestinians and the entire world that “terrorism pays”. He said recognition of the Palestinian state could impede negotiations for the return of hostages captured by Hamas. Furthermore, making a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip less likely by “reward Hamas and Iranian jihadists”.
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