(JTA) — Spain, Norway and Ireland announced on Wednesday that they would formally recognize a Palestinian state, signaling Israel’s challenges on the global stage.
The move is seen as an effort to revive hopes for a two-state solution, where a Palestinian state coexists with Israel. Israel criticized the decision, calling it a response to Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7, which triggered the ongoing war.
“Last month I stood on these same steps with Prime Minister Sanchez of Spain, and we said that the point of recognizing the state of Palestine was coming closer,” Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris stated in Dublin on Wednesday. “That point has now arrived.”
Harris emphasized the importance of the historic day for both Ireland and Palestine, highlighting the principles of freedom and justice as essential in international law for achieving lasting peace.
The coordinated announcements by Spain, Norway, and Ireland underscore the growing impatience of the international community with Israel during its conflict with Hamas in Gaza, now in its eighth month.
While the recognition of a Palestinian state may not have an immediate impact on Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, it serves as a strong rebuke to Israel. The Israeli government opposes Palestinian statehood and advocates for diplomatic resolutions through negotiations.
Israel responded swiftly to the announcements, recalling its ambassadors from Ireland and Norway. Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz criticized the decision, stating, “Terrorism pays.”
Although 140 countries already recognize Palestine as a sovereign state, most Western European nations had refrained from doing so until now. Harris expressed confidence that more countries would follow suit in recognizing Palestine in the near future.
The office of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the recognition, emphasizing the right to self-determination and calling on other countries to acknowledge the Palestinian people’s right to sovereignty.
Spain, Norway, and Ireland confirmed that their official recognition of Palestine would take effect on May 28. Norway’s announcement held particular significance due to its involvement in hosting the 1993 Oslo Accords, which aimed to establish peace but ultimately fell short.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre stressed the need for recognizing an independent Palestine to advance towards a two-state solution and urged other nations to follow suit.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, a vocal critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza, cited the lack of a peace plan between Israel and the Palestinians as a driving factor behind the decision to recognize Palestine. The United States, a staunch ally of Israel, has not unilaterally endorsed an independent Palestinian state but remains committed to a two-state solution.
No substantial peace negotiations have taken place in over a decade, highlighting the complexities and challenges in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.