Ireland, Norway, and Spain have announced they will formally recognise a Palestinian state from 28 May. Spain and Ireland said the decision was not against Israel nor in favour of Hamas, but rather in support of peace. Israel reacted angrily, warning the move would mean more instability in the region and recalling its ambassadors to all three countries.
Both Hamas and its rival, the Palestinian Authority, have welcomed the recognition.
Norway was first to make its announcement Wednesday in a move co-ordinated with the other two countries.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said in an address that the move was “in support of moderate forces that are on a retreating front in a protracted and cruel conflict”.
“This is an investment in the only solution that can bring lasting peace in the Middle East,” he added, referring to the so-called two-state solution which would see an Israeli and a Palestinian state existing peacefully next to each other.
Ireland and Spain followed suit soon after. “Today, we state clearly our unambiguous support for the equal right to security, dignity, and self-determination for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples,” Irish Foreign Minister Micheál Martin said.
Credit: bbc.com
