Spain, Ireland, and Norway announced on Wednesday their decision to recognize a Palestinian state starting May 28. This move aligns with a long-standing Palestinian aspiration and comes in response to the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip following Israel’s offensive.
The nearly simultaneous declarations from two European Union countries and Norway could create momentum for further recognitions within the EU, potentially influencing United Nations actions and increasing Israel’s diplomatic isolation. Presently, seven of the 27 EU member states officially recognize a Palestinian state, including five former East Bloc countries and Cyprus, which declared recognition in 1988, and Sweden, which did so in 2014.
Spain, Ireland, and Norway’s decision is viewed as a significant step toward enhancing the Palestinians’ international standing and pressuring Israel to engage in peace negotiations. “This recognition is not against anyone, it is not against the Israeli people,” stated Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. “It is an act in favor of peace, justice, and moral consistency.”
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide emphasized that recognition serves as a catalyst for peace processes rather than a concluding gesture. “We used to think that recognition would come at the end of a process,” Eide told the Associated Press. “Now we have realized that recognition should come as an impetus, as a strengthening of a process.”
The timing of these recognitions is particularly notable amid growing international criticism of Israel’s prolonged conflict with Hamas, which has led to significant civilian casualties in Gaza. On May 11, the U.N. General Assembly voted to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine, indicating increased support for its full membership.
Despite the recognition by many countries, major Western powers like the United States and the United Kingdom have yet to recognize a Palestinian state, insisting that statehood should result from negotiated settlements. With peace talks stalled since 2009, the recognition by Spain, Ireland, and Norway marks a crucial diplomatic victory for Palestinians.
Israel’s reaction was swift and condemnatory, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recalling ambassadors from the three countries and denouncing the recognition as a “reward for terrorism.” He referred to the October 7 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and over 250 abductions, as justification for his stance. “This evil must not be given a state. This will be a terrorist state,” Netanyahu asserted.
The broader implications of this recognition remain uncertain, but it undeniably signals a shift in the international approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, emphasizing the urgency of renewed diplomatic efforts for a two-state solution.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
