Spain, Ireland and Norway announced this Wednesday their decision to recognize Palestine as a State at the end of the month, a step that highlights the division in the European Union, which has struggled unsuccessfully to find a common position since the start of the war in Gaza.
The president of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, announces the recognition of Palestine as a State.
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Slovenia and Malta stated in March that they are “ready” to recognize the Palestinian state, “when the right circumstances arise.” On May 9, the Slovenian government adopted a decree for the recognition of this State and Parliament is due to rule on June 13.
What countries recognize Palestine as a State?
The outbreak of war between Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip after the Islamist group’s attack on Israeli territory on October 7, revived calls for recognition of a Palestinian state.
According to the Palestinian Authority, which has limited power in parts of the occupied West Bank, 142 of the 193 member countries of the UN already recognize the Palestinian State.
On November 15, 1988, during the first intifada (uprising), Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat unilaterally proclaimed an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
142 of the 193 member countries of the UN already recognize the Palestinian State.
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A few minutes later, Algeria officially recognized the Palestinian state. In a few weeksdozens of countries, including most Arab states, China, India and Turkey adopted this policy. Soon after, they were followed by almost all African countries and Soviet bloc nations.
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Since December 2010, first Brazil, and then Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Peru and Uruguay recognized the Palestinian State.
In the Latin American region, Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Costa Rica had already done so and were also Colombia, Honduras and El Salvador joined, marking a distance with the United States, Israel’s main ally.
Cuba, then also a Soviet ally, and Nicaragua were the first Latin American countries to recognize Palestine as a State in 1988. Currently 24 Latin American countries recognize it, all except Mexico and Panama.
The Bahamas, on May 8, was the last country to formally recognize Palestine as a State and its right to “self-determination.” Shortly before, Trinidad and Tobago (May 3), Jamaica (April 24) and Barbados (April 21) had done so.
Since December 2010, Brazil recognized the Palestinian state.
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Recognition by Sweden in 2014 opened debate among EU member states, with several legislative chambers passing resolutions urging their governments to officially recognize Palestine as a state, including the British Parliament, the Irish Senate, Congress of the Deputies in Spain or the French Assembly.
On December 17, 2014, the European Parliament (EP) joined the recognition of Palestine by supporting a joint resolution of the majority political groups that obtained 498 votes in favor, 111 against and 88 abstentions.
The other six EU countries that have recognized the Palestinian state are the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland and Romania. and they all did so days after on November 15, 1988, the Palestinian National Council proclaimed in Algiers the establishment of the state of Palestine, while accepting resolutions 242 and 338 of the UN Security Council, which meant recognizing the Israel’s right to exist.
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The United States, the United Kingdom or Australia do not recognize the Palestinian state.
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The decision must be “a diplomatic tool at the service of the solution of two States that coexist in peace and security,” he said.
Germany, which also defends the two-state solution, considers that recognition of Palestine should be the result of direct negotiations between the parties to the conflict.
The decision must be a diplomatic tool at the service of the two-state solution
UNESCO was the first UN multilateral organization to open its doors to Palestinians in 2011. which generated the indignation of Israel and the United States, which left the organization, although Washington rejoined it in 2023.
In a historic vote in November 2012, the UN General Assembly voted to grant the Palestinians observer state status at the United Nations.
This opened the way for them to join the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2015 and allowed the opening of investigations into Israeli military operations in the Palestinian Territories. The United States and Israel denounced this decision.
AFP and EFE
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