SPAIN, Ireland and Norway formally recognised a Palestinian state on Tuesday in a coordinated decision slammed by Israel as a “reward” for Hamas, more than seven months into the devastating Gaza war.
The three European countries believe their initiative has a strong symbolic impact that could encourage others to follow suit.
After Ireland’s government formally approved the measure, Prime Minister Simon Harris said the aim was to keep Middle East peace hopes alive.
“We had wanted to recognise Palestine at the end of a peace process. However, we have made this move alongside Spain and Norway to keep the miracle of peace alive,” he said in a statement, urging Israel to “stop the humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza.
Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide hailed the move as “a special day for Norway-Palestine relations”.
And after Spain’s cabinet backed recognition, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said “we know that there is still a long way to go, and Spain is willing to walk its part of the path to peace.”
He will receive the foreign ministers of Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey in Madrid on Wednesday to celebrate Spain’s recognition of a Palestinian state.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said recognition was “essential” for peace, insisting the move was “not against anyone, least of all Israel” and the only way to secure a future of two states living side-by-side “in peace and security”.
The decision also reflected Spain’s “outright rejection of Hamas, which is against the two-state solution” and whose October 7 attacks led to the Gaza war, he added.
