Capitals (agencies)
Yesterday, Ireland, Spain and Norway announced their recognition of the State of Palestine in the midst of the bloody war launched by Israel in the Gaza Strip, in an initiative that the Palestinians were quick to welcome, and prompted Israel to recall its ambassadors to the three countries.
Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris described his country’s decision to recognize Palestine as a state, along with Norway and Spain, as historic. He said in Dublin: “Each of us will now take any necessary national steps to implement this decision,” and added, “He is confident that other countries will join this decision.” The initiative, this is a historic and important day for Ireland and Palestine.” An Irish government spokesman announced that this step aims to keep the two-state solution option alive.
Meanwhile, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Sture announced that his country will recognize Palestine as a state on May 28. The Norwegian government press release stated: “The Palestinians have a fundamental and independent right to establish their state. Both Israelis and Palestinians have the right to live in peace in two separate states, and there can be no peace in the Middle East without a two-state solution.” In a related development, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced in front of parliament in Madrid yesterday that the Council of Ministers will ratify the recognition of Palestine as a state on May 28, adding that it is clear to him that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “does not seek a peace project from Yes, Palestine. The Spanish Prime Minister said: Netanyahu is punishing Palestinian civilians “through hunger and terrorism.” He continued: “As countries that defend human rights and the rules-based international order, we are obligated to take action in Palestine, without double standards.” Spain has long been considered one of Europe’s harshest critics of Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip. The leftist government in Madrid suspended all arms exports to Israel last October. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said: Recognition is a correct step because it is in Europe’s geopolitical interest and because the international community cannot help the Palestinian state if it does not recognize it, adding that one of the worst humanitarian disasters of this century is occurring in Gaza. In the first reaction, the Israeli Foreign Minister announced that Tel Aviv would recall its ambassadors to Norway and Ireland after the two countries announced recognition of Palestine as a state. Minister Yisrael Katz said: “I have issued orders to immediately summon the Israeli ambassadors to Ireland and Norway for consultations against the backdrop of the two countries’ decisions to recognize Palestine as a state.”
He added in a post on the “X” platform: “I am sending a clear and unequivocal message to Ireland and Norway: Israel will not remain silent in the face of this undermining of its sovereignty and endangering its security. There will be other serious consequences.”
In turn, the White House announced that US President Joe Biden opposes “unilateral recognition” of the State of Palestine.
National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said: Biden “believes that the establishment of a Palestinian state must be achieved through direct negotiations between the two parties, and not through unilateral recognition.”
For its part, the Palestinian presidency welcomed the announcement by Norway, Ireland and Spain to recognize the State of Palestine. The Presidency said: “The right of peoples to self-determination is an established right recognized under international law, and the State of Palestine renews its continuous call to countries that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to stand up to their responsibilities and acknowledge the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and restore confidence in a global system based on rules and rights.” Equality for all peoples of the Earth. The Presidency urged “the countries of the world, especially the European countries, which have not yet recognized the State of Palestine, to recognize the State of Palestine in accordance with the internationally recognized two-state solution based on international legitimacy resolutions and the 1967 lines, and to follow the example of the Republic of Ireland, Norway and Spain, which chose the path of supporting the achievement of peace and stability.” And consolidating the rules of international legitimacy and international law.”
Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Arab League welcomed the decision of Norway, Ireland, and Spain to officially recognize the State of Palestine. Saudi Arabia called on all countries to recognize the State of Palestine and considered the European countries’ decision positive. Jordan also stressed that recognizing the State of Palestine is an important and essential step towards a two-state solution. The Gulf Cooperation Council issued a statement in which its Secretary-General, Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, confirmed that the decision represented a “pivotal and strategic step towards achieving the two-state solution.” The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “An appreciated step that supports international efforts aimed at establishing a political horizon that leads to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.” In this context, the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, praised the three countries’ recognition of the State of Palestine as of May 28, and said in a statement that he “highly welcomes this important step.”
It is worth noting that the majority of member states of the United Nations recognize Palestine as a state, but there are major exceptions, including the United States, Germany, France, and Britain.
Germany supports the long-awaited two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, but said: The establishment of a Palestinian state can only be the result of direct negotiations between the two sides.
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