The governments of Norway, Spain and Ireland announced that they would recognize the Palestinian state with its borders to be demarcated as they were before 1967 and Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and Palestine both. They officially recognise an independent Palestine with effect from May 28, 2024. These countries also urged other European states to follow their path.
Key highlights
- Norway Prime Minister Jonas Gahar Store, Ireland Prime Minister Simon Harris and Spain Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez made an announcement about their decision in their country’s Parliament. Norway was the first country to declare the recognition of the Palestinian state.
- This move will bolster the global Palestinian cause but will damage Europe and Israel relationship. Israel has called back its ambassadors from these countries.
- These three nations are in favour of a two-state solution to bring peace to the Middle East.
Recognition of Palestinian state
- 144 of the 193 members of the United Nations have already recognized Palestine as a state. Algeria was the first country in the world to recognize the Palestinian state. However, the United States, Canada, most of Western Europe, Australia, Japan and South Korea have not yet recognized a Palestinian state.
- India recognised a Palestinian state in 1988 and was one of the first few nations to do that. In 1996, it also opened its representative office in Gaza. This office was later shifted to Ramlla in West Bank in 2003.
- In 2011, India voted in favour of Palestinian membership in UNESCO.
- In April 2024, the US with its veto thwarted Palestine’s effort to become a full UN member of the United Nations Security Council.
- The flag of Palestine was officially hoisted for the first time in the United Nations in New York in September 2015.
- During the first Palestinian Intifada on 15 November 1998, Palestinian leader Yasar Arafat announced the establishment of an independent country Palestine. Intifada refers to the popular rebellion against Israeli occupation by Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.