On May 28th, Spain, Norway, and Ireland officially recognized Palestine as a state, sparking anger from Israel.
Spain’s President, Pedro Sanchez, took to the stage on Tuesday to make a monumental announcement in a recorded statement. Using the English language, he expressed his belief that this move is historic, driven by the sole purpose of achieving peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
“The recognition of the State of Palestine is not only a matter of historical justice for the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, but it is also an urgent necessity,” he emphasized.
The only way to achieve a future of peace is through the establishment of a Palestinian State that coexists peacefully and securely alongside the State of Israel.
Today, the Spanish Government has officially approved the recognition of Palestine as a State.
Spain has now joined the ranks of over 140 countries that acknowledge the statehood of Palestine.
“This decision is of great historical significance, with a clear objective in mind: to make a meaningful contribution towards…” tweeted Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) on May 28, 2024.
Last week, Spain, Norway, and Ireland made announcements amidst increasing international criticism of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. They expressed their intentions to recognize Palestine as a state.
Norwegian Foreign Affairs Minister Espen Barth Eide met with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa in Brussels on Sunday. During their meeting, Minister Eide presented a document formalizing Norway’s recognition of Palestine.
In a government statement, Eide emphasized the significance of personally delivering a formal document to Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa. He expressed that the Prime Minister highly appreciates Norway’s involvement and the initiatives taken to advance a two-state solution.
Norway’s decision to recognize Palestine as a state sends a strong message of support to the moderate forces in both nations.
On Tuesday, Ireland announced its commitment to fulfill its pledge by establishing full diplomatic relations during a meeting.
“This decision by Ireland is a testament to the unwavering belief in the possibility of a brighter future,” expressed Ireland’s Taoiseach Simon Harris in a heartfelt statement. “It signifies our firm conviction that a two-state solution remains the key to fostering peaceful coexistence and ensuring the security and well-being of both Israel and Palestine.”
“We made the decision to recognize Palestine alongside Spain and Norway not as the conclusion of a peace process, but rather as a means of preserving the hope for a peaceful resolution.”
Israel swiftly criticized the countries for their decision, summoning their ambassadors. Additionally, it restricted Spain’s consulate from offering services to Palestinians in the West Bank.
Israel Katz, the Foreign Minister of Israel, accused Sanchez on Tuesday of being complicit in inciting the murder of the Jewish people and committing war crimes.
Around 140 countries have already acknowledged Palestine as a sovereign state and maintain diplomatic ties with it.
In his statement, Sanchez emphasized the importance of ensuring the viability of the state of Palestine. He stressed the need for the West Bank and Gaza to be connected by a corridor, with East Jerusalem serving as its capital. Furthermore, Sanchez emphasized that the Palestine National Authority should be the governing body of the state.
Spain has expressed its commitment to enhancing Palestine’s representation in international organizations, according to the statement made by the official.
According to the statement, the recognition of Palestine is not meant to be against any country, particularly Israel. Spain values and highly respects Israel as a friendly nation, and the intention is to build the strongest possible relationship with them.
According to the official, Spain’s decision to include Hamas in the list of terrorist organizations demonstrates their firm stance against the group. He emphasized that this move exemplifies Spain’s unequivocal rejection of Hamas, which they consider to be a terrorist organization.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted on October 7th, following a surprise attack by an Iranian proxy militia. In this attack, 1,200 Israelis were killed, and 250 hostages were taken by the militants.
Israel has responded by engaging in military conflict with Hamas in Gaza, resulting in the loss of over 36,000 Palestinian lives, as reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Israel has faced growing international criticism for its methods of waging war, including from Western allies like the United States, amidst the ongoing conflict and rising casualties.
