TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Norway, Ireland and Spain announced Wednesday that they recognize a Palestinian state as part of an agreement historic but largely symbolic gesture which deepens Israel’s isolation for more than seven months Fierce war against Hamas in Gaza.
These announcements were made as the Prosecutor General of the International Criminal Court requests arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister and the International Court of Justice examines the allegations of a genocide that Israel has vigorously denied.
Palestinians welcomed the announcements as an affirmation of their decades-long quest for statehood in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip – territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war and ‘They are always in control.
Israel recalled its ambassadors in the three countries and summoned their envoys, accusing the Europeans of rewarding the militant group Hamas for its October 7 attack that sparked the war.
Netanyahu’s government, opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state, says the conflict can only be resolved through direct negotiations, which failed more than 15 years ago.
As if to underline this point, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir made a provocative visit Wednesday to a disputed holy site in Jerusalem sacred to Jews and Muslims, which could escalate tensions in the region.
Ben-Gvir said the visit was a response to the decision of the three European countries. “We will not even allow a declaration on a Palestinian state,” he said. The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is the third holiest site in Islam, and the peak on which it sits is the holiest place for Jews, who call it the Temple Mount.
With their official recognition, scheduled for May 28, the three countries will join some 140 – more than two-thirds of the United Nations – that have recognized the State of Palestine over the years. The United States and Britain, among others, have supported the idea of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, but say it should be part of a negotiated settlement.
European announcements followed in succession. Norway, which helped negotiate the Oslo Accords that launched the peace process in the 1990s, was the first to announce its decision, with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre saying “there can be no peace in the Middle East without recognition.
The three leaders of Ireland’s left-wing government, Minister Eamon Ryan, Taoiseach Simon Harris and Tanaiste Micheal Martin, speak to the media in Dublin, Ireland, Wednesday, May 22, 2024. (Damien Storan/PA via AP)
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speaks at the Spanish Parliament in Madrid, May 22, 2024. (Eduardo Parra/Europa Press via AP)
Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris called it a “historic and important day for Ireland and for Palestine,” saying the announcements had been coordinated and other countries could join “in the coming weeks “.
The international community has long viewed the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel as the only realistic way to resolve the conflict, and in recent weeks several European Union countries have indicated they plan to recognize a state Palestinian to continue these efforts.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who announced his country’s decision in parliament, spent months traveling countries in Europe and the Middle East to gather support for recognition, as well as a possible ceasefire in Gaza.
“This recognition is not against anyone, it is not against the Israeli people,” Sánchez said. “It is an act in favor of peace, justice and moral coherence.” He said it was clear that Netanyahu “does not have a peace plan,” while acknowledging that “the fight against the Hamas terrorist group is legitimate.”
The Israeli government harshly condemned the decision taken by the three countries. Foreign Minister Israel Katz recalled Israel’s ambassadors and summoned the three countries’ envoys to Israel. He said they would watch Macabre video footage of the October 7 attack.
“History will record that Spain, Norway and Ireland decided to award a gold medal to Hamas murderers and rapists,” he said. He also said the announcement would harm talks aimed at a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza, which stalled earlier this month.
President Mahmoud Abbas, the head of the Palestinian Authoritywhich administers part of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, welcomed the moves toward recognition, saying they would contribute to efforts to achieve a two-state solution.
Hamas also welcomed the decisions and called on other nations to “recognize our legitimate rights and support our people’s struggle for liberation and independence, as well as to end the Zionist occupation of our land.”
Hamas, which Western countries and Israel consider a terrorist group, does not recognize the existence of Israel but has indicated he could accept a State on the 1967 modelat least provisionally.
European countries recognize a Palestinian state
It is unlikely that these announcements will have any impact on the ground. Israel has annexed East Jerusalem and considers it part of its capital, and in the occupied West Bank it has built numerous Jewish settlements that are now home to more than 500,000 Israelis. The settlers have Israeli citizenship, while the West Bank’s 3 million Palestinians live under seemingly limitless Israeli military rule.
In Gaza, the war still rages and Netanyahu has said Israel will maintain unlimited security control of the territory even after any Hamas defeat.
Hugh Lovatt, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said “recognition is a tangible step towards a viable political path leading to Palestinian self-determination.”
But for it to have an impact, he said, it must be accompanied by “concrete measures to counter the annexation and annexation of Israel.” settlement of the Palestinian territory – such as banning settlement products and financial services.
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Wilson reported from Barcelona, Spain, and Krauss from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Jill Lawless in London contributed to this story.
