Several EU countries may soon recognize Palestine as an independent state. A Norwegian recognition may also be on the way.
Published: 10/05/2024 07:43
The short version
- Several EU countries, including Slovenia, Ireland and Spain, may soon recognize Palestine as an independent state. Norway is also considering such recognition.
The summary is created with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) and quality assured by Aftenposten’s journalists.
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Slovenia’s Prime Minister Robert Golob announced on Thursday that the country will recognize Palestine as a state by 13 June.
– The atrocities that we see every day in Gaza are unacceptable and must stop. I call on Israel to cease its attacks in Gaza immediately and to return to the negotiating table, https://twitter.com/vladaRS/status/1788525908862623844 Thursday.
The bombing campaign and the ground invasion have killed over 34,700 people. The source for the death toll is the Palestinian health authorities in Gaza, which are controlled by Hamas. Aftenposten cannot independently verify the figures for those killed, and Hamas does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The UN has pointed out that the figures given by the Palestinian health authorities in previous wars have later proved to be credible.
The moves on recognition of Palestine come at the same time as the US has begun to cut off arms supplies to Israel. US President Joe Biden has pointed out that Israel uses weapons to kill civilians.
Never wrong
Slovenia announced in March that it was ready to recognize Palestine, as did Ireland and Spain.
Irish recognition is also just around the corner, says Prime Minister Simon Harris to broadcaster RTE.
– It is never wrong to do the right thing, and the right thing right now is to recognize Palestine as a state, he says.
Earlier this week, Harris discussed the issue of recognition with his Spanish colleague Pedro Sánchez and stated afterwards that they both have a clear plan for this.
– We agree that formal recognition is an important part of recognizing that a two-state solution is the only way to achieve peace and stability in the region, where the State of Palestine and the State of Israel live side by side in peace and security, said Harris.
Coordinates with others
– We are coordinating efforts with other European countries to recognize a Palestinian state together with like-minded countries. This must be done in a way that can have the most positive impact on the situation on the ground, he said.
Neither Harris nor Sánchez wanted to state any date for recognition, but according to the Irish broadcaster RTE, it could happen on 21 May.
– The time is approaching for Ireland, together with other countries, to show leadership so that we can get closer to a two-state solution, says Harris.
Large majority
The vast majority of the world’s countries, 143 of the UN’s 193 member states, have all recognized Palestine as an independent state, including Sweden, which did so in 2014.
Several Eastern European EU countries have also previously recognized Palestine, among them Hungary, which today appears as one of Israel’s foremost allies in Europe.
Norwegian recognition
Norwegian recognition may also now be on the horizon, according to Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (Ap).
In November, the Storting asked the government to prepare such a recognition, and Eide indicated at the end of April that the recognition could come during the spring.
Like Harris, he emphasized that recognition will take place in cooperation with several countries.
– Recognition of a Palestinian state is not an end in itself, but a tool we can use once. When a country like Norway uses it, we must know that it can have an effect, Eide told NTB.
The Palestinian territories are today divided in two, both geographically and politically. The Gaza Strip, which is partly in ruins after more than half a year of Israeli bombing, has been ruled by Hamas. The West Bank is partly controlled by Fatah, but large parts are subject to Israeli occupation.
– After all, we don’t want a “Hamas state”, but one Palestinian state that is politically connected, that springs from the Palestinian Authority the Palestinian AuthorityPalestinian self-government involves partial self-government over parts of the Palestinian territory that was occupied by Israel during the Six-Day War in 1967. This was established in 1996 as a result of the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The self-governing authorities set up several public agencies and institutions to promote economic development. Most of these have their headquarters in Ramallah in the West Bank. Source: SNLhe emphasized.
Israeli resistance
Today’s far-right government in Israel shows no willingness to negotiate a peace agreement with the Palestinians.
Israel’s security minister has responded to the US tightening of arms delivery by writing “Hamas ❤️Biden» on X/Twitter.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also made it clear that he opposes the creation of a Palestinian state.
– Even if the current Israeli government is not there now, an almost entirely unified world community is otherwise very clear that we need a two-state solution, Eide stated at the end of April.
