Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris announced on Wednesday that his country recognizes the State of Palestine, in a joint statement with Oslo and Madrid. Harris stated, "Today, Ireland, Norway, and Spain announce their recognition of the State of Palestine," adding that it is "a historic and important day for Ireland and Palestine." He expressed confidence that more countries would join this step.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced his intention to declare recognition of an independent Palestinian state on May 28, confirming a report previously published by the news site El Confidencial. In coordination, the Prime Minister of Norway declared that his country would officially recognize Palestine as a state. Jonas Gahr Støre stated on Wednesday, "There cannot be peace in the Middle East if there is no recognition" of Palestine, adding that Norway would recognize the Palestinian state starting May 28.
Prior to this, the NRK official channel and the Aftenposten daily reported, citing unnamed sources, that the Norwegian government would announce recognition of an independent Palestinian state on Wednesday. An informed source indicated that the Irish government would also announce recognition of the Palestinian state on the same day.
Subsequently, Israel summoned its ambassadors in Ireland and Norway for "emergency consultations" following the moves of these countries toward recognizing the State of Palestine. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a statement, "Today I send a strong message to Ireland and Norway: Israel will not remain silent about this. I have instructed the return of the Israeli ambassadors in Dublin and Oslo to Israel for further consultations." Katz warned that "the hasty steps of the two countries will have severe consequences, and if Spain follows through on its promises to recognize the Palestinian state, it may face actions against it."
Recently, Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, and Malta, all European Union member states, have indicated their intention to recognize a Palestinian state, considering the two-state solution essential for lasting peace in the region. The Irish government announced on Tuesday evening that the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister would speak to the media on Wednesday morning, although it did not provide details.
Irish Deputy Prime Minister Michael Martin announced earlier this month that his country would recognize the Palestinian state by the end of the month. It is noted that Ireland and Spain are holding discussions with other European countries regarding a joint recognition of the Palestinian state. Earlier, the British agency PA Media reported that although May 21 was proposed as a potential date, Martin stated that the timing remained "unspecified." He added, "We will recognize the Palestinian state before the end of the month," while noting that the specific date is still undecided as discussions with some countries regarding mutual recognition of the Palestinian state continue.
Palestinians recently marked the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, during which a potentially larger catastrophe is unfolding in Gaza, where over half a million people have been displaced in recent days due to ongoing fighting.
