European Perspectives on Recognizing Palestinian Statehood: Insights from Spain, Ireland, and Norway
Explore the recent formal recognition of Palestinian statehood by Spain, Ireland, and Norway, shedding light on the implications of this joint decision amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. This move adds to the growing international pressure on Israel following its conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
Spain, Ireland, and Norway officially acknowledged Palestinian statehood on Tuesday. This united action further distances Israel due to its conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris explained that Ireland's decision was made to support the preservation of peace, despite Israel's strong disapproval.
Last week, the nations had announced their intention to take this step. However, on Tuesday, their respective governments approved the declaration simultaneously, officially bringing it into effect.
This move also showcases the division within Europe regarding the recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Many countries around the world support Palestinian membership, as shown by a recent United Nations resolution. This resolution, backed by 143 nations, reaffirmed their stance on the issue.
Among those in support were several European states. However, the exact number of countries that hold this view is hard to determine. For instance, some former Eastern bloc countries recognized Palestinian statehood during the Soviet era, but have since changed their position after gaining independence.
Spain, Ireland and Norway
The move by these three countries to recognize Palestinian statehood in tandem sent an impactful message to Israel, and other Western states.
Harris mentioned on Tuesday that Ireland initially planned to acknowledge Palestine after a peace agreement. However, they decided to make this decision together with Spain and Norway to support the peace efforts. This joint declaration provided some protection for each nation and possibly sped up the process.
Harris also urged Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel to pay attention to the global community and put an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“It is disappointing that the Israeli government is not willing to cooperate,” expressed Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide as his country confirmed the decision on Tuesday. He emphasized the importance of the international community providing more political and economic assistance to Palestine and continuing efforts towards a two-state solution.
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Spain's foreign minister: Recognizing Palestine is the best way to foster Middle East peace
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In a televised speech in Madrid, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that Spain would be joining over 140 countries in recognizing Palestine. He emphasized that this recognition is crucial for achieving a peaceful future, where a Palestinian state can exist alongside Israel in harmony and security.
Israel has reacted strongly to the decision made by three countries last week. The Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, has recalled its ambassadors from these countries. Katz stated that Israel will not tolerate any actions that threaten its sovereignty and security.
"In Western Europe, Katz criticized the decision to reward Hamas and Iran and recognize a Palestinian state, despite their violent actions."
In 2014, Sweden made history by becoming the first major Western European nation to officially recognize Palestinian statehood. Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom explained that the decision was based on meeting the criteria of international law.
A legal team from Israel, consisting of Yaron Wax, Malcolm Shaw, and Avigail Frisch Ben Avraham, can be seen waiting for the judges to enter the International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, in The Hague, Netherlands. This took place on Friday, May 24, 2024. The purpose of their presence was for the top United Nations court to make a decision on an urgent request by South Africa. South Africa was asking the judges to instruct Israel to stop its military operations in Gaza and to withdraw from the area.
Peter Dejong/AP
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Israel is currently dealing with a significant increase in legal and diplomatic challenges. The pressure is mounting as decisions need to be made. The international law analysis shows that delaying these decisions is unnecessary. It is important to recognize Palestine as a territory with its own people and government. Failing to do so due to the occupation goes against the principle of international law that prohibits benefiting from acts of aggression.
However, the decision did not result in widespread support from Western European countries for the declaration.
Instead, a few countries have slowly started to show support for Palestinian statehood as part of their efforts to promote a two-state solution, but they have not officially recognized it yet.
France, Belgium, Poland, and Greece supported the UN General Assembly resolution for Palestinian membership earlier this month. Denmark also voted in favor, but their parliament rejected a proposal to formalize recognition, unlike Norway.
Other countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands chose not to vote in the UN resolution, which was mainly symbolic due to the United States' veto. A total of 143 nations supported the resolution, 25 abstained, and nine voted against it.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated on Friday that Germany is not ready to recognize the state yet, citing the lack of clarity on its territory.
For now, it’s about achieving a long-term ceasefire,” Scholz said. “The path of symbolic recognition of statehood is not the way forward.”
Eastern Europe
Several countries in eastern Europe, which were once part of the Soviet sphere of influence, now officially recognize Palestinian statehood. Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, and Bulgaria have all taken this stance, as reported by Reuters on Tuesday.
In eastern Europe, recognizing Israel can be tricky due to historical ties to the Soviet regime, which aimed to undermine American alliances, like the one with Israel.
Countries like Poland, once part of the Soviet bloc, have strong relationships with Palestinian authorities. They have welcomed leaders from the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah.
Some countries have changed their stance on supporting Palestinian statehood, like the Czech Republic, which voted against the UNGA resolution. The other countries that opposed the resolution were Hungary, Argentina, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Israel, and the United States.
Prime Minister Robert Golob stated that Slovenia's government will discuss recognizing an independent Palestinian state this week.
In a statement, Golob mentioned that following several discussions in recent days, a government meeting scheduled for Thursday will deliberate on proposing the recognition of Palestine to the country's legislature for approval.
CNN's reporting on this matter involved contributions from Inke Kappeler, Louis Mian, Sophie Jeong, Zahid Mahmood, Al Goodman, Niamh Kennedy, and Sana Noor Haq.
Editor's P/S:
The recognition of Palestinian statehood by Spain, Ireland, and Norway is a significant step towards acknowledging the rights of the Palestinian people and supporting their aspirations for self-determination. This united action sends a clear message to Israel and the international community that the status quo is unacceptable and that a peaceful resolution to the conflict is imperative.
The move by these three countries also highlights the growing support for Palestinian statehood within Europe. While some Western European countries have been hesitant to recognize Palestine, the decision by Spain, Ireland, and Norway is a sign that the tide is turning. This recognition is a testament to the growing awareness of the injustices faced by the Palestinian people and the need for a just and lasting peace.
