Norway, Spain, and Ireland have announced that they will officially recognize Palestine as a state starting next week.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has also announced the date for this step. He stated that Norway will recognize Palestine as a state on May 28th.
Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has criticized Israel for jeopardizing a two-state solution. He referred to Israel's policies towards Palestine as a policy of pain and destruction.
Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said the recognition of Palestine as a separate nation was necessary step for peace.
Israel has given a strong reaction regarding this. It has recalled its ambassadors from these three countries.
The Israeli government spokesperson mentioned that granting recognition will not help the Palestinian people or the Israelis.
Israeli Foreign Minister Katz likened this move to giving 'gold medals to Hamas terrorists'.
Hamas and the Palestinian Authority have welcomed this decision.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre mentioned that recognizing Palestine is a means of supporting liberal forces that are losing their ground in the 'long and cruel struggle'.
During a dialogue conference in Oslo, he emphasized that peace in the region cannot be achieved without a Palestinian state.
He stated, "Palestinians fundamentally have the right to an independent state. Both Israelis and Palestinians have the right to live in peace in their respective states."
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that they are moving to recognize Palestine for three reasons - peace, justice, and stability. He emphasized the importance of respecting a two-state solution and ensuring mutual security guarantees.
Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris also discussed this issue at a dialogue conference in Dublin. He highlighted the importance of granting recognition to Palestine as a necessary step for peace.
Now that these three countries have discussed granting Palestine the status of a separate state, Israel has reacted strongly by recalling its ambassadors from these countries.
Israeli Foreign Minister Katz expressed concerns about the security implications of this move and hence the recall of ambassadors.
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz echoed Katz's statement.
Hamas and the Palestinian Authority have welcomed the decisions of Norway, Spain, and Ireland.
Hamas stated that this decision will be a 'significant and decisive' turning point in the international situation regarding the Palestinian issue.
A senior Hamas leader, Basem Naim, mentioned that this has been made possible due to the strong resistance of the Palestinian people.
Naim stated that these consistent recognitions are a result of the steadfastness and resistance of the Palestinian people.
On the other hand, Ammar Hijazi, a member of the Palestinian Authority and Assistant Minister for Multilateral Affairs in Ramallah, deemed this step crucial for peace.
He stated, "In our opinion, this step has come at a crucial time when Israel is trying to derail this struggle and end the prospects of peace among people."
No comments:
Post a Comment