On Wednesday, Norway, Ireland, and Spain declared their recognition of a Palestinian state, a gesture that, while largely symbolic, significantly heightens Israel’s diplomatic isolation. This development comes more than seven months into the intense conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
This recognition coincides with the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court pursuing arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense minister, amidst allegations of genocide being evaluated by the International Court of Justice—allegations Israel vehemently denies.
The Palestinian people have received these recognitions as a validation of their long-standing aspirations for statehood, which encompasses east Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip—areas captured by Israel during the 1967 Mideast war.
In response, Israel has withdrawn its ambassadors from the three recognizing countries and has called their ambassadors to Israel, accusing them of condoning the actions of Hamas following the October 7 attack that instigated the ongoing conflict.
The Israeli administration, which is against the idea of a Palestinian state, asserts that the conflict can only be resolved through direct negotiations, a process that has been stalled for over 15 years.
Emphasizing Israel’s stance, Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, visited a contentious religious site in Jerusalem on Wednesday. His visit, which he claims was a reaction to the European recognition, has potential to escalate regional tensions. This site is revered as the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Islam and as the Temple Mount in Judaism.
With the formal recognitions set for May 28, these three nations will join approximately 140 other countries that have previously recognized Palestine. This contrasts with the position of countries like the United States and Britain, which support an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel but insist that it should emerge from negotiated peace agreements.
The European announcements were made consecutively, starting with Norway, a broker of the Oslo Accords, through Ireland, whose Prime Minister highlighted the significance of the day, to Spain, whose leader has been actively rallying support for recognition and a possible ceasefire in Gaza.
The consensus in the international community sees the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel as the sole realistic solution to the ongoing conflict, and several EU countries have indicated their intentions to recognize a Palestinian state to support this outcome.
However, Israel’s Foreign Minister has sharply criticized this move, recalling ambassadors and showing them footage of the October 7 attack, and accusing the European countries of indirectly rewarding Hamas, which is deemed a terrorist organization by Western nations and Israel.
The Palestinian Authority and Hamas have both welcomed the recognition, with Hamas urging other nations to acknowledge their rights and support their quest for independence and the end of the occupation.
Despite these diplomatic shifts, the practical situation on the ground remains unchanged. Israel continues to claim east Jerusalem as part of its capital and has established numerous settlements in the West Bank. Additionally, Netanyahu has indicated that Israel will maintain control over Gaza following any conclusion of hostilities with Hamas.
Hugh Lovatt from the European Council on Foreign Relations noted that while recognition is a step towards Palestinian self-determination, it needs to be accompanied by concrete measures to counteract Israeli annexations and settlements.
