MAP. Spain, Ireland and Norway join the list of countries that recognize a Palestinian state

In the context of the war in the Gaza Strip, the two-state solution is “in danger”, the Spanish government warned on Wednesday.

Spain, Ireland and Norway announced, Wednesday May 22, their coordinated decision to recognize a Palestinian state by the end of May, seeing it as a means of defending the two-state solution in the midst of war in Gaza. The Israeli Foreign Ministry immediately reacted by recalling “for consultation” its ambassadors to Ireland and Norway, after warning Tuesday that “recognizing a Palestinian state risks transforming you into a pawn in the hands of Iran” and Hamas.

The Norwegian Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, was the first to formalize this recognition, which will take place formally on May 28. At the same time, he launched “a strong call” to other countries to do the same. Greeting a “historic day”, his Irish counterpart, Simon Harris, followed shortly after. In the process, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, confirmed the future recognition by Madrid, also on May 28. “Prime Minister Netanyahu has no peace plan for Palestine”he accused, so that “The two-state solution is in danger.”

According to the Palestinian Authority’s tally, 142 countries of the 193 UN member states have now announced that they recognize a Palestinian state. And the joint initiative of Madrid, Dublin and Oslo could be joined by other European countries. In March, the Slovenian and Maltese leaders signed a joint communiqué with Spain and Ireland in which the four countries expressed their desire to recognize such a state. The Slovenian government has since adopted a decree to this effect, intending to send it to Parliament for approval by June 13. On this issue, Paris is still hesitant. “The recognition of a Palestinian state is not a taboo for France”declared Emmanuel Macron in February, without commenting further on the subject.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry immediately reacted on Wednesday by announcing the recall “for consultation” of its ambassadors in Ireland and Norway. The day before, in a message on the social network Israel Katz had warned Ireland that “recognizing a Palestinian state risks transforming you into a pawn in the hands of Iran” and Hamas, accusing this measure “to fuel extremism and instability”.

From Madrid, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez reaffirmed his positions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “We owe a historic debt to the Palestinian people. For more than half a century, UN resolutions have been ignored. This passivity must end. We are convinced that this will give them hope and dignity.”he declared, quoted by El País. “The goal of diplomacy is not to disturb anyone, but to peacefully defend interests and values.”

Since October 7, and the terrorist attacks which left more than 1,200 dead in Israel, 35,647 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in the Gaza Strip by Israeli bombings and military operations, according to the Ministry of Defense. Health of Hamas, in power in Gaza, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count.