In a move denounced by Israel as a “reward” for Hamas, Spain and Norway moved to formally recognise a Palestinian state with Ireland to follow suit on Tuesday. The three European nations think that their move has a powerful symbolic impact and will probably inspire other governments to take similar action. On the other hand, Denmark’s parliament voted down a bill to recognise a Palestinian state on Tuesday
Before calling a cabinet meeting, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stated, “Recognition of the State of Palestine is not only a matter of historic justice… It is also an essential requirement if we are all to achieve peace.” The action was “not against anyone, least of all Israel,” Sanchez added.
“It is the only way to move towards the solution that we all recognise as the only possible way to achieve a peaceful future — that of a Palestinian state living side-by-side with the state of Israel in peace and security,” Sanchez added.
Furthermore, according to Sanchez, the decision was a reflection of Spain’s “outright rejection of Hamas, which is against the two-state solution” and whose actions on October 7 sparked the Gaza War.
Last week, the three countries’ prime ministers made a synchronised declaration outlining their objectives.
Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said that it was “an important moment.” He said that it sends “a signal to the world is that there are practical actions you can take as a country to help keep the hope… of a two-state solution alive.”
How did Israel react to this decision?
Israel has reacted sharply to the decision, which has further strained its relations with Spain.
Yolanda Diaz, Sanchez’s far-left deputy, applauded the action last week, adding, “We cannot stop.” Israel’s envoy in Madrid blasted the statement as a “clear call for the elimination of Israel” and declared that “Palestine will be free from the river to the sea.”
“Sanchez, as long as you don’t fire your deputy and you recognise a Palestinian state, you are participating in the incitement to commit genocide and war crimes against the Jewish people,” Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote on X on Tuesday.
Where does the European Union stand?
Recognising Palestinian statehood has sparked a heated debate between the European Union’s 27 member nations. Formal Palestinian state recognition has long been viewed as the final stage of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.
Following Tuesday, 145 of the 193 members of the UN officially acknowledged Palestinian statehood. The first EU member to recognise a state for Palestine was Sweden in 2014. Afterward, six other European nations, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Romania made the same move.
(With inputs from agencies)